Not all Wounds are Healed by Time
by irishgirl686
Summary: So, this takes place after Edward says his goodbye in New Moon. He allows one other person to see Bella before the Cullens leave, and it's Carlisle. Story continues from there. enjoy and review.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey guys, this is my first attempt at writing twilight, so bear with me. This is set right after edward says his good bye in new moon. enjoy, and please review.

Disclaimer: not mine. not even a little bit.

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Chapter 1

Bella's POV

I wondered when I would stop wondering. I wondered when the unstoppable force of time would heal the gaping hole in my chest that Edward had left behind.

He promised a clean break.

"It will be as if I'd never existed." He'd said.

Bull shit.

He could take away his CD. He could take away the pictures. He could even take away my plane tickets to Jacksonville and my new stereo, but he couldn't take away my memories.

I had loved him. More fiercely than I had ever loved anyone in my entire life, but for me I suppose that isn't saying much.

I hadn't moved, slept, or eaten for an entire week after the Cullens left. I missed Edward, arrogant ass that he was. I missed Alice. Her brother hadn't even let her say goodbye. To his credit, he allowed one person that right, though if I were to guess I'd say that Edward was reluctant to give said permission, and only gave it because the outcome was inevitable.

After Sam found me in the woods and Dr. Gerandy had given me the medical OK, Charlie had left to tell everyone searching that I was okay. It was then that Dr. Carlisle Cullen climbed through my window.

I didn't see him enter. I only heard the familiar sound of footsteps on the wood floor as he crossed the room to kneel down next to me. I knew how I probably looked, soaking wet curled up in the fetal position, my eyes half open due to exhaustion and my lips blue.

He golden eyes shone with compassion and concern as he reached a pale hand out to touch my forehead.

"Bella, you're ice cold." He murmured, before standing and retrieving another blanket to drape over me.

I opened my mouth to thank him, but no words came out.

Once he had thoroughly tucked me in, he let his cold hand graze my cheek briefly before thinking better of it as he noticed my shiver.

"Sorry," He apologized. "I sometimes forget how cold my hands are."

"It's okay." I rasped.

The hoarseness of my voice seemed to affect him. He sighed, obvious sorrow in his eyes.

"Bella…I'm so sorry for what is happening. Edward is set on leaving. He's so sure that you'll be safer without him. Perhaps he's right."

I shook my head slightly.

"It's not his fault I'm a danger-magnet."

He smiled slightly at that.

"I suppose that much is true. I think I've just grown accustomed to stitching you back together. You have to understand though, that knowing my family puts you in more danger than you would have been in without us."

"You can't know that." I argued weakly. "Eventually your permanent unchanging good looks would have forced you to move away. You're not the only vampires. Nomads would have wandered through eventually. And since I smell oh-so-good…"

The doctor shook his head in amusement, running a hand through his golden locks.

"Bella, you really are a unique human. And you're likely correct. You _do_ smell good. I haven't yet been able to figure out why."

I remember my lips almost curving upward into a smile.

"Any theories?"

He shook his head.

"No plausible ones. I considered that there was perhaps something different in your DNA, but then your mother or father would have the same draw, and they clearly do not. I was going ask permission to test your blood next, but…"

At that he trailed off, but I knew his meaning. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out the pain.

An icy hand grasped mine tightly.

"Bella, I cannot express exactly how sorry I am that we are you doing this to you."

I squeezed back lightly.

"It's not your fault."

"I'm letting it happen. The fault is as much mine as it is his."

"Carlisle, you're just trying to keep your family together."

He looked away.

"Yes, but at what cost?"

He shook his head, looking down at his watch.

"Bella, I should go."

I reached out and grabbed his hand.

"No," I whispered. "Please don't leave me yet."

"You know I have to leave eventually. My family is expecting me."

"I know, but could you stay until Charlie gets home? Please?"

He seemed to ponder the thought before nodding slowly.

"I suppose that would be alright, if nothing else than for your safety."

I took a deep breath in relief.

"Thank you."

He nodded almost imperceptibly.

"You should get some sleep Bella. I don't want you to catch an infection with your chill and weakened immune system."

I looked at him and shook my head.

"I can't sleep."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"Why not?"

"I-This is going to sound silly."

"It's okay. I promise not to tease."

Our eyes met and saw the sincerity in his.

He asked for it.

"I can't sleep alone."

"You're not alone Bella. I'm right here."

"I know. It's not that. Before…he used to sneak in every night and stay with me, sort of holding me. I've grown so accustomed to his presence that I can't sleep alone anymore."

I looked away from Carlisle's calculating stare, afraid of his response.

A second later I felt the mattress shift suddenly and opened my eyes to pale skin on top of my comforter.

"Carlisle, are you sure you're okay with this? I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

He chuckled.

"You're nearly hypothermic, you likely haven't slept much in days, and you're concerned about me?"

I blushed, prompting another chuckle.

"Bella, my concern is for your wellbeing. You need sleep. If this is the only way you'll be able to achieve that then I am happy to help."

"Thank you." I whispered.

It was an odd feeling, someone caring again. Especially Carlisle. He and I had never been very close. He was a very reserved man in many respects. The most affection he had ever displayed publicly was putting his arm around his wife, a move one could make with someone not nearly as high in their regard.

I wasn't sure if this open show of affection from such a quiet man was making me feel better or worse.

Carlisle, all of the Cullens, meant a great deal to me. But they were leaving. And being so close to what I would no longer have could almost be considered prolonging the inevitable. I needed him though. I needed one last good memory to dwell on; to dull the pain that would follow. I think Carlisle knew that.

I tried to slow my mind enough to fall asleep, but too many thought were racing through it.

This, I recalled, was when Edward would wrap his arms around me. The comfort in those moments had the ability to calm me immediately, and slumber always followed quickly.

I sighed, a noise that did not go unnoticed by the blonde next to me.

"Still can't sleep?"

I shook my head and bit my lip.

He saw right through me.

"Bella, whatever you need to do to fall asleep is fine, just please do it. It'll put this old man's worries at ease."

I laughed lightly.

"You're not old. And are you absolutely sure? I can't see how using you as a pillow could make you anything but uncomfortable."

"I could say the same to you. We aren't exactly soft."

I shrugged.

He gestured for me to commence the cuddling, so I did, but with considerable reluctance and awkwardness.

The moment I laid my head on his chest, I took a deep breath, finally finding some semblance of peace in my chaotic world.

In typical Carlisle fashion, an arm wound around my shoulders, holding me to him gently and allowing me to relax completely.

I looked up into his golden eyes sleepily.

"Will you wake me before you leave?"

He squeezed my shoulder lightly.

"I promise." He murmured. "Now go to sleep."

I remember smiling before I fell completely into the slumber than I needed more than I was willing to admit. What can I say? I've always been stubborn.


	2. Chapter 2

AN!: Hey guys, i still don't own anything other than these silly manipulations of someone else's characters. I hope you all like this chapter, because it took me like half an hour to type out. i like handwriting everything, so it's like a huge process before i get chapters up here. anyway, enjoy and review!

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Chapter 2

Carlisle smiled slightly as the brunette next to him unconsciously pulled him closer.

She hadn't been lying when she'd said that she couldn't sleep alone. Not that he'd imagined she would lie about something so trivial, but the fact remained that it was an idiosyncrasy that he was completely unaccustomed to. He hadn't lived long enough to experience it. When he had finally found someone to love, sleep was no longer a possibility.

He sighed.

**Poor Bella. Only God knows whether or not she will have the strength to carry on after we leave.** He closed his eyes, as he looked back on the moment it had been decided.

Flashback

_A knock on his office door pulled his attention away from the book he'd been reading intently._

_"Carlisle?" A light female voice asked._

_He smiled, recognizing his visitor immediately._

_"Come in, Alice."_

_His pseudo-daughter poked her head through the door, walking in as he gestured for her to come forward._

_His eyebrows furrowed as he noticed the worried, almost sorrowful look on her face._

_"Alice?" He asked. "What's wrong?"_

_"It's Edward. He'll be here in 10 minutes. He wants to move immediately."_

_"I don't suppose your vision contained his reasoning?"_

_"It's Bella, but I don't know his exact excuse. All I could get out of the vision was that he wants to leave, and he has no intention of Bella coming with us."_

_The doctor ran a hand through his golden locks._

_"Is there any chance of convincing him otherwise?"_

_"If there is any, I can't see it. He's going to be very adamant. In fact, I'm fairly certain he's already said his goodbye."_

_Both Cullens looked at the door as they heard Edward call out everyone's names._

_Carlisle shut his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them and shooting Alice a reassuring smile, which she returned._

_"Time to convince our own personal emo kid to pull his head out of his ass."_

_The doctor blinked._

_"I'm not even going to try and decipher that statement."_

_Alice__ grinned._

_"Sorry. I forgot. You never were very good with the newfangled lingo."_

_He shook his head._

_"No. Definitely not." He said, standing and walking over to the brunette. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the door._

_She nodded, walking out of the office and hopping over the 2nd floor railing to land neatly next to Jasper on the living room couch._

_Carlisle__ rolled his eyes, walking much more gracefully down the stairs and taking his place on the adjacent couch next to his wife._

_He nodded at his son, gesturing for him to begin._

_Edward cleared his throat before speaking._

_"I don't want to beat around the bush, so I'll just get to the point. I think it is time for us to leave Forks. Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper have graduated, the people are already labeling us as shut-ins, and Carlisle, you barely pass for 25 let alone the 30 years you're claiming. We don't fit in here, and we won't last much longer. I'm suggesting that we move up to Alaska and stay with Tanya's coven for a while."_

_Rosalie looked at Emmett with a smug grin._

_"I told you."_

_It was then that Jasper spoke up._

_"Edward," He said quietly. "If you are doing this because of me, please reconsider. I myself will be leaving as soon as I am able, and I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused."_

_Esme reached over and grasped her son's hand._

_"Jasper, you know it wasn't your fault. It was simply an accident. I've been resisting for much longer than you and I still had to leave the room. As your mother for all intents and purposes, I forbid you to leave."_

_Alice__ looked at Esme with gratitude in her eyes._

_Carlisle__ took the opportunity to clear his throat and claim everyone's attention._

_"Edward, though your opening argument was compelling, I think we'd all like to hear your real reason for wanting to leave so suddenly."_

_Dark eyes met his before looking away and speaking._

_"You were all here. You saw what happened. Jasper, I can not blame you, but the fact remains that though it was an accident, it did happen, and Bella could have been killed. She has almost died 5 times since she met us. Just knowing this family puts her in constant danger, and I won't stand for it. I want to leave. Now."_

_The patriarch considered Edward's words before responding carefully._

_"Son, you know Bella is a magnet for trouble. She's the clumsiest person I've known in my almost 400 years. I can't be certain, but I would go so far as to say that us being here is helpful to her survival. If not for you, she would have been crushed by a van."_

_"And because of me, James chased her across half a dozen states and nearly killed her."_

_Carlisle__ sighed._

_"I will concede that we do bring more danger to everyone that knows us, but we also bring safety. You were able to save Bella from the most lethal tracker any of us have ever seen. There is very little that could top that. Do you think so little of yourself? Of us? We protect our own, son."_

_"You protect everyone, pops." Emmett joked._

_The blonde grinned._

_"Pops?"_

_Edward interrupted in annoyance._

_"If we can dispense with the jokes please. I'm being serious. I understand your point Carlisle, but it doesn't change mine, and I am leaving to Alaska. I want to stay with this family, but if it means putting Bella in danger, then I guess I no longer have a family."_

_Carlisle__ closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Edward's mind would not be changed. That much was obvious. And if he wanted to keep his coven, his family, intact, he would have to do so at the expense of Bella's heart. He had no choice._

_"Edward," He said quietly. "It would seem that we have reached an impasse. In the interest of keeping the family together, I will submit to the move to Alaska, but I have to request one condition in return."_

_His son nodded, waiting for his father's request._

_Gold eyes met black._

_"If you expect me to uproot this family, I would ask for permission to speak to Bella before we leave. I'm aware that you have already said goodbye, and I'm willing to bet that you are attempting to pull off a clean break, but I will not leave Forks unless I am sure that that young woman has the strength to survive without you, or us for that matter."_

_His wife squeezed his hand in appreciation._

_Edward looked around the room, taking in everyone's thoughts separately before sighing._

_"It would seem that I am outnumbered. Carlisle, I will allow you and only you." He said, looking pointedly at Alice._

_Jasper shook his head at his wife's put out expression. He knew she'd been planning on crashing the party. Her fluctuating mood gave her away immediately._

_Carlisle__ smiled._

_"Thank you son."_

End flashback

The blonde looked down at the young woman in his arms. When he had come here he'd had no idea what to expect.

He'd assumed she'd be distraught, maybe even angry, but she was neither. When he'd climbed through her window, she hadn't even moved to see who it was. She was breathing, but displayed no other signs of life. Her lips were blue. Her skin was as light as his, as pale as death itself.

He was prepared to drive her to the hospital, consequences be damned, but she finally spoke, though even her voice betrayed little emotion. It took all he had not to pull her tired body into his arms.

It seemed Edward was killing her faster than anything else could have.

Conversation was slow and painful, but with each new response a little more light found its way back into her chocolate eyes. He'd said his piece, and with her understanding he'd had every intention of leaving, but she reached out and grasped his hand with more strength than she had displayed in the entire visit.

He understood. She needed him, and he was willing to let her need him. Thus, 10 minutes later, he found himself on the bed and cradling his son's ex-girlfriend.

He chuckled lightly.

"How do I get myself into these things?" He murmured.

Esme's voice drifted through his mind.

_"Your heart may not be beating, but it has only grown larger with old age and children."_

He'd laughed when she'd told him that, years ago.

He'd been worried that he had seen so much sickness and death that it had almost completely desensitized him. And in came the entire family, full of vehement protests.

He smiled.

The small family that he had built throughout the years meant the world to him. He loved every member of it with all that was left of his heart and soul. It was for them that this young woman would suffer.

I should have been a mechanic. Then my need to fix everything would have been twice as productive with half the drama.

Bella stirred in her sleep.

"No," She murmured. "Please don't leave me. I'll do anything."

He winced. He hadn't expected her to have nightmares so soon.

"No!" Her voice got louder. "Please don't! I need you!"

He pulled her closer to him, rubbing her shoulder gently.

"Shh…you're okay Bella. I'm right here." He whispered. "I won't leave you."

She stopped crying out, but her features still displayed the pain she was undoubtedly in.

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head impulsively. The effect was disconcertingly immediate. The brunette sighed as the tension in her face melted away.

He shut his eyes. He would not be here after tonight. Her nightmares would ravage her subconscious if she even managed to sleep at all.

He wracked his brain for ideas.

Sleeping pills? Effective, but too addictive.

Anti-anxiety meds? Combined with the depression she would likely fall into, they would likely take away what little motivation she would have left.

Anti-depressants? They would help her mood, but not her sleeping.

He sighed. All he could do for her was prescribe medication, but apparently even that wasn't a possibility.

He tilted his wrist upward to check the time.

3 am.

He'd been with Bella for 2 hours now. Charlie would be back very soon.

He shut his eyes and listened for the familiar rumble of the police cruiser, frowning when he did locate it a couple miles away. He did a quick mental calculation and guessed that he had about 15 minutes left before Charlie would be home.

He didn't want to wake the young woman up, but he had promised Bella that he would. He knew she'd want to say goodbye.

He shook her shoulder lightly.

"Bella." He said, tucking her hair behind her ear with his free hand.

She groaned.

"5 More minutes."

He chuckled.

"Charlie will be home in 15 minutes. I have to go."

With those words, her eyes shot open. He looked at her sadly.

"I know."

She clutched his shirt tightly, burying her face in his chest.

"I had hoped it was all just a bad dream."

He cupped her cheek with one hand and titled her chin up so he could see her face again, startled to see tears in her eyes. With the hand still on her cheek, he moved his thumb up to brush away the lone tear that had escaped.

"Sorry." She sniffled. "I though I'd run out of tears earlier."

He smiled.

"It's okay Bella. I understand. You have no reason to apologize."

"I don't want to make this hard for you. I know you're looking out for me, and I'm probably not giving much hope for a positive outcome."

"Actually, compared to the catatonic state I found you in, this is a vast improvement."

"I blame you."

"Happy to be your scapegoat." He chuckled.

He looked down at his watch.

"Time to go?" the brunette asked quietly.

He nodded.

"I'm afraid so, Bella. I cannot fully express to you how sorry I am. All I can say is I hope my son comes to his senses, but if not, know that we are not abandoning you. Alice still thinks of you as her best friend. Emmett will always think of you as his little sister. Rose…well, she's still Rose. And as for me, you will always be a part of my family, which means you'll never be rid of me." He joked.

The corners of her lips turned upwards slightly.

He grinned.

"There's that smile."

She laughed.

"Shut up."

He sighed and sat up, bringing Bella with him.

"It really is time for me to go. Charlie is just up the street."

He felt two small arms wrap around him and without thinking he did the same, holding her as tightly as her dared to.

When he heard the police cruiser pull in, he let go and kissed the top of her head.

"This isn't goodbye Bella. If you should ever need me, the hospital will have all of my contact information."

He stood and walked over to the window. Before he jumped out onto the grass below, he turned and flashed her one more brilliant smile.

"I'll miss you Bella."

She smiled back.

"Go. I'll be okay. I promise."

He nodded and in a flash he was gone.

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Hey guys! see that large box that says something about "review" on it? click it. it's nifty. :D


	3. Chapter 3

AN!: Hey guys. i was so excited about all the alerts and reviews that i got right to it and posted chapter 3. keep up the feedback. i love hearing what you guys are thinking.  
Also, i meant to add earlier, that all bold writing is a characters thoughts.  
That's it. enjoy!

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Chapter 3

Before I had time to register the loss there was a knock at the door, followed by my dad peeking into my room.

"Bells?" He asked, obviously surprised that I had actually moved.

"Hey dad," I said with a small smile, which he returned carefully.

"Hey kiddo. How are you doing?"

"Better."

He walked in and in typical Charlie fashion looked around the room awkwardly, before his eyes settled on a worn white jacket lying on my desk.

He picked it up.

"Bells? Did you have a visitor while I was gone?" He asked cautiously.

I cringed, guessing that he thought it was Edward.

"Yeah," I nodded. "It wasn't Edward, dad."

He relaxed, but the question remained in his eyes.

"It was Carlisle." I said, letting a small smile find its way onto my lips. "He came to make sure I was okay, and to apologize. He must've accidentally left his jacket."

"Huh." Charlie said. "That was kind of him. Do you want me to drive up to the Cullen house and return it?

"No. It's alright. They've already left, and he said he'll be back in town in a couple months for a medical conference. I'll give it to him then."

Charlie nodded, draping the jacket over my chair.

"Well, I'm going to turn in. Will you be alright?"

I nodded.

He looked up at me.

"I'm right across the hall if you need me."

I rolled my eyes.

"Go on dad. I'll be fine."

He smiled before turning around and walking out, shutting the door behind him.

I took a deep breath before leaning back and lying down again.

Half an hour later and I still hadn't moved or managed to fall back asleep.

"Damn." I muttered, annoyed.

I'd hoped that my ability to fall asleep with Carlisle had been a sign that I didn't need Edward, but obviously I was wrong.

"Stupid vampires."

I could imagine Carlisle chuckling at that.

I looked over at his jacket.

Why do I have the feeling that he left it on purpose…?

I stood slowly, unsure of my strength, and walked over to my chair, picking up the jacket and holding it in my arms. That was when the light bulb went off. I held the jacket to my face and breathed in, a grin lighting up my face immediately. It was completely permeated with Carlisle's familiar comforting scent.

I walked back to the bed clutching his jacket and laid down.

When I closed my eyes I could pretend that the pillow I was laying on was Carlisle, and with that image in my mind and his scent all around me, I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

……………………………………

I woke up early the next morning and got ready for school quietly. When I finally made it down the stairs, (only tripping once!) Charlie looked up with surprise.

"Bells? What are you doing up?"

"Dad, it's a Friday. I have school."

"I-uh called the school this morning and got you the day off. I wasn't sure you'd be up to it."

I smiled.

"Thanks, but I have to go. I need to deal with all the questions. Get it over with today so I'll actually want to go to school on Monday."

He nodded before checking his watch, and then standing and grabbing his jacket and gun belt.

"Good luck."

I rolled my eyes.

"Have fun at work Charlie."

He smiled slightly, headed towards the door. Before he walked out he paused.

"Hey Bell, make sure you take a sweater with you. It's pretty cold out. I don't want you catching a cold."

I nodded at his suggestion, waving as he left. Here he went again, being all paternal on me. Though he had good reasoning at least. I can't even imagine how I probably looked to him last night.

Sighing, I grabbed a pop tart to toss into my bag and opened the front door.

Damn. Charlie was right. An ice cold breeze assaulted me immediately. What the hell? It was September, not December.

I sighed, dropping my bag and heading upstairs to get a jacket. Rummaging through my closet I pulled out a dark blue hoodie and turned around to leave, but stopped suddenly as I passed by the desk. There, draped across my chair again was Carlisle's jacket. I looked down at the hoodie and then up at the clock. Making a snap decision, I left the hoodie on the bed and pulled on Carlisle's worn white jacket, smiling instantly as his scent washed over me. The jacket was huge on and didn't match anything I was wearing. Alice would've had a fit. But I knew it would help me get through the day.

Snapping out of my reverie, I ran down the stairs as quickly as I dared. I was definitely going to be late.

………………………………………

My chemistry teacher looked at me disapprovingly as I walked through the door 15 minutes after the bell.

"Sorry, Mr. Molina. Car trouble."

He nodded, heading to mark the attendance sheet.

Jess waved me over to the empty seat beside her and I took a deep breath. Here we go.

As soon as I sat down, her over-eager voice dominated the conversation.

"Bella! What's going on? Where's Cullen? The word around town is that he and his family moved to L.A."

I snorted. L.A.? The sunniest place on the planet? Not likely.

I looked back at Jessica, who was waiting impatiently.

"Edward…left. We broke up."

"Oh my gosh! What happened?"

I shrugged.

"I'm not completely sure. He said that he didn't love me anymore."

"You've got to be kidding me. He was over the moon for you!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. I guess we were both wrong. He said goodbye last night and he and his family left early this morning."

"Well," She looked at me helplessly. "Maybe he'll come back."

"I doubt it Jess. He took everything with him. All my pictures of him. Everything."

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"But isn't that his jacket?

Instinctively I pulled it around me tighter, but shook my head.

"No. It's Carlisle's."

"Ex-boyfriend?"

"No," I laughed. "Edward's dad. He left it when he said goodbye last night."

"And you're wearing it?"

I shrugged.

"It was the first thing I could find. Running late doesn't mix well with being fashionable."

Jess laughed loudly, attracting Mr. Molina's attention. He gave us a pointed stare. We took a moment to look properly abashed and then got to work on the class assignment.

I sighed in relief and then groaned out loud as I noticed most of the class sneaking glances at me every so often.One down, The rest of the school to go…

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	4. Chapter 4

AN!: This is extremely short compared to my last few chapters, but i felt it stood on it's own better than if i'd paired it with another chapter. Sorry for the wait. i promised one of you that i'd have it out last night, but apparently i misjudged the effectiveness of nyquil and i was asleep way faster than i'd intended. whoops.  
Anyway, bold writing is thoughts, as usual. ither than that, i hope you like it, and please please please review. I live off of your feedback.

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Chapter 4

(Carlisle's POV)

With a small smile I placed the last book in the bookshelf in my new office.

We had all spent the last 2 weeks building and furnishing our new house up in Denali.

**Well…everyone except Edward.**

I sighed.

The boy had traveled with us, but as soon as we had finished greeting Tanya and her coven, he'd left. That did not sit well with anyone, especially Alice. She'd nearly torn his head off when he had announced his plan.

**I should have seen it coming.**

He didn't just want to keep himself away from Bella; he'd meant to keep us all away.

No one was happy these days. Rosalie's smugness was beginning to annoy everyone. Emmett's usually playful attitude had been subdued. Alice was completely distraught, which was affecting Jasper. Esme and I hardly spoke anymore except to lament on how our family had fallen apart and we had done nothing to stop it from happening.

And, I had no concept of how Bella was coping back in Forks. Edward forbade any contact before he left, and being the mind-reader, he'd know if anyone disobeyed his orders. I couldn't help worrying though. Despite the fact that her condition had improved slightly during my short visit, all indicators make me assume that after I'd left she might have reverted to her catatonic state.

**I wish there was some way to know for sure. If she stops eating or isn't able to sleep, her life could be in danger. I can't have Edward's idiocy kill her.**

"Hey Carlisle!" a voice shouted from downstairs. "You have one more box down here."

I rolled my eyes with a small smile.

**And here I thought I was done unpacking.**

Running downstairs, I nodded to Emmett and picked up the nondescript box that had my name crawled across it. I didn't recognize it, but as Alice did most of the packing I guess I wasn't surprised. What threw me was that I was almost completely certain that I had already unpacked all of my possessions.

Running upstairs, I placed the box on my desk and opened it curiously. On top of a brand-new macbook was a note.

"Carlisle,

I had a feeling you might need this.

-Alice"

I laughed. Typical Alice.

Deftly, I flipped that laptop open and turned it on. Hospitals had been using computers for several decades now, so naturally I'd learned how to use them. Immediately after loading, an e-mail account logged itself in and opened, with one message in the inbox.

I opened it quickly. It contained one thing, an e-mail address.

Charlie's e-mail?

That's when it clicked.

With a grin I quickly began typing.

"Charlie,

I apologize if this is forward of me, but now that we've finally gotten settled here in Los Angeles, our thoughts return to home.

When we left, I knew Bella was not well, and I am aware that it was due to the actions of my son. For that I cannot apologize enough. Edward is young, and he often makes a decision and refuses to see any point of view other than his own. But there can be no excuse for his actions. No matter what he believed to be true, I know that it does not make it right, putting Bella through this.

On that note, I must inquire as to how she is doing. When I left she was slightly less catatonic, but she had admitted that she wasn't sleeping much. I had hoped that her condition would continue to improve, but my medical training and my morals won't let me rest merely on that.

If you could but tell me how Bella is doing it would greatly put my mind at ease.

-Carlisle Cullen"

I sighed, sending the e-mail off and shutting down the laptop.

Now, to wait…

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See? Told you it was short. sorry! i'll get the next one up soon. possibly later tonight if the nyquil doesn't strike again. curses upon christmas colds. please review! :)


	5. Chapter 5

AN!: Hey guys. here is ch 5. it's up sooner than i'd expected to post it. half because i loved all of your reviews, and half because my grandpa passed away this morning, and i needed something to keep me busy. so enjoy.

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Chapter 5

It had been a month since the Cullen's had left.

The town had all but forgotten about them.

The only noticeable change in anyone's lives was that the lack of business at the Newton's store had forced them to let Bella go. She'd gotten a job at the local mechanic's shop, much to Charlie's amusement.

She could still see the worry in his eyes though, and it was that worry that had forced her to throw her self into everything other than her own problems.

She was acing all of her classes. She knew every aspect of her friends' lives. She was even becoming somewhat mechanically inclined. Her boss had taught her how to change the oil on every car in town. Charlie had loved that. She'd come home covered in grease every day now.

But every time he asked her how she was doing she said nothing. Every time he mentioned Edward or any of the Cullens her arms would wrap around her stomach as if she was trying to hold herself together. The light in her chocolate brown eyes was gone. Sure, she seemed fine, but anyone who knew her knew she was just putting on a damn good act.

The most curious thing of all was the old worn white jacket that she always wore these days. Edward had never worn it to school, so everyone knew it wasn't his. When asked about it, she would simply shrug it off and counter with another question.

She wore the jacket everywhere, even to sleep. She also never washed it, and almost bit Charlie's head off when he'd tried to put it in with the laundry.

She wouldn't let it out of her sight.

But there was one problem. The scent, Carlisle's distinct calming smell that had once permeated the jacket almost entirely, had now mostly diminished.

The nightmares were coming back with a vengeance. She wasn't sleeping hardly at all anymore, and she was barely eating.

She knew Charlie was watching her, so she tried to act normal, like nothing had changed, but she knew the nightmares had her screaming when she woke, and Charlie wasn't deaf.

Things were definitely changing, and not for the better…

* * *

Carlisle's POV

I was sitting on the loveseat next to my wife, though we weren't talking or touching, just sitting with the rest of the family in front of the TV.

Esme had suggested that we have some family time every week to bring us closer together. No one actually wanted to sit like this, silent around a movie no one cared about, but everyone knew how strained the family was, and they didn't want to make it any worse.

Things between Esme and I had gotten even worse. We never spoke when we were alone, and I stayed in my office most nights. We tried to keep the charade up in front of the kids, but Alice and Jasper were too gifted for that. They knew, but they stayed silent, as Rosalie and Emmett still seemed to be in the dark.

Esme and I had been together for almost 60 years. It hurt me to realize that our once strong bond was withering away before my eyes. I guess it really was possible to fall out of love with someone.

Immediately I felt a wave of peace wash over me. I looked at Jasper who nodded at me. I smiled in appreciation, before looking at Alice who was seated next to him. I knew the look on her face. That was the vision-look.

When her eyes refocused, she looked at me immediately.

"Hey Carlisle, there's a really cool article on the advantages of additional chromosome pairs in the human genome that I found on the internet yesterday. I e-mailed it to you. You should go check it out."

I understood immediately.

Looking over at Esme, I asked, "May I?"

She nodded tersely, obviously not appreciating my leaving "family time", but unable to truly stop me without causing an argument in front of the kids.

I dashed upstairs quickly, shutting the door behind me despite the fact that they'd likely hear anything I said out loud anyway.

I turned on the mac and waited impatiently for the e-mail browser to load. When it finally did I found exactly what I was looking for, one new e-mail from Chief Swan.

I opened it immediately, taking in every single word.

"Carlisle,

It's bad. It wasn't good to begin with, but I expected it to get better. Instead, it's gotten worse. She hardly eats. She barely sleeps. And if she does sleep, she wakes up screaming her head off. I don't know what to do. I wanted to send her to Jacksonville with Renee, but she refused to go.

When I try to talk to her she insists that she's fine. She says she's just focusing on school, which I suppose is legitimate. She has a 4.0 now. And she got a job at Dowling's. I suspect that she can navigate an oil change better than half the town at this rate. That's all she does though; school and work. And she also never takes off that jacket of yours that you left behind. She clings to it. Almost bit my head off when I tried to wash it. My guess is that it's all she has left of you guys.

She's getting worse by the day, and I can't help her. If there's anything you can do to help I'd appreciate it if you did it as soon as you can, because I don't know how safe it is for her to get any worse. I just got my daughter back Carlisle, I can't lose her again.

-Charlie"

I shut my eyes tightly, running a hand through my hair.

Damnit. This is worse that I imagined.

I typed out a short reply.

"Charlie,

I'll do whatever I can. Please keep me updated on her condition.

-Carlisle"

As soon as I sent it I looked at my inbox, confused. There was a 2nd e-mail. I opened it, assuming Alice really had sent me the medical article. It contained another single e-mail address: .

I chuckled. That could only be Bella's.

I started to compose a new e-mail and then paused. What could I say to help her? Heavy-handed words would likely only make her feel worse.

I grinned, coming up with a better idea. Besides, I really wanted my jacket back.

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Okay, all done. review please! they make me smile!


	6. Chapter 6

AN!: Hey guys, things have been pretty hectic lately. I've been living at my grandma's so she won't be alone. this is my first night back at home. my aunt and uncle are taking over for me. it's incredibly stressful actually. It's hard to keep tiptoe-ing around everything. Can't mention grandpa or sit in his chair or any number of things because that'll remind my grandma of him and make her sad. i've barely slept over the past few days and i have a ridiculous headache and my back hurts. it's lovely.  
Anyway, i just finished typing this baby out. it's short-ish, but i hope you all like it. please review! i love all of your feedback!

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Chapter 6

Bella had gotten off of work early. John Dowling actually was a fair guy despite his outrageous prices.

He'd just finished teaching her how to take the tires on and off of her old Chevy, and despite the proximity to power tools, she'd done well. John had been so pleased he sent her home early.

When she got home she headed straight upstairs for her immediate shower. She almost smiled when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Once again she'd managed to cover herself in grease and oil. Charlie usually seemed to find it pretty funny, but he wouldn't be home until late tonight.

She shrugged off her dirty work shirt and headed for the bathroom. This time, when she caught her reflection she sighed. The dark circles beneath her eyes were getting worse, and her cheeks were starting to look gaunt.

**I need to try and eat more. Charlie will start to worry.** She thought idly as she stripped down to get in the shower.

Looking at her bare form in the mirror, she was suddenly glad that Forks was always so cold. If she'd still been in Phoenix, everyone would have seen exactly how fragile she was steadily becoming. Here, layers would conceal the way her collarbone was beginning to jut out, and the way her ribs were beginning to show. Unable to look at herself any longer, she got in the shower and bathed quickly.

She pulled her pajamas on along with Carlisle's jacket and sat down at the computer.

Time to e-mail mom before she starts freaking out again.

Renee e-mailed all the time now. Bella suspected that Charlie had talked to her about what was going on, because every e-mail now consisted of an inquiry after her health and sleeping habits.

Charlie's old PC booted up slowly, giving her time to think about what she would say to her mother this time. Unlike her dad, Renee wouldn't be excited that she could switch out a tire with ease. She started in, talking about school and her friends. Jessica and Mike's latest romance troubles should be enough to placate her mom. She assured her that she was fine and asked how Phil was doing, before sending the e-mail.

She looked through her inbox, deleting most of what was there. It was almost completely advertisements, but there was one address that she didn't recognize.

She opened it curiously, reading:

"Miss Isabella Swan,

It has come to my attention that you have taken a certain jacket of mine hostage. I am writing to negotiate its release. I ask that you reply with your terms as soon as possible.

-Carlisle Cullen"

Bella laughed, a bit of life making its way back into her chocolate eyes.

**Only Carlisle.**

She typed out her own reply before walking over to her bed and picking up her calculus book. Groaning, she opened it to the right page.

**This should keep me occupied for a while…**

Fifteen minutes later her computer dinged. Raising an eyebrow, she sat down that the desk again, where an instant message box was sitting open, waiting for her.

Dr-Cullen: You don't watch nearly enough television, Miss Swan. You should know by now that the hostage always gets returned home safely and the bad guy goes away for a long time.

She grinned.

Danger-Magnet: True, but in this case it was the good guy who went away, so I figured the circumstances were much more advantageous for the bad guy.

Dr-Cullen: Indeed. You may have a point. I submit to your terms. What would you have me trade?

Danger-Magnet: Hmmm. Well, since you're requesting the return of an important part of my wardrobe, I must demand something that will replace it.

Dr-Cullen: I'll do one better. I'll buy you the exact jacket. How will that suit you?

Danger-Magnet: Not well. It has to be something of yours or no deal.

Dr-Cullen: Why are you so insistent upon dismantling the wardrobe that Alice painstakingly put together for me?

Danger-Magnet: Because I'm the bad guy?

Dr-Cullen: Bella…A real answer please?

Danger-Magnet: Promise not to laugh?

Dr-Cullen: Of course.

Danger-Magnet: Okay. The thing is, your jacket…it smelled like you. And it helped me sleep for a while, but now it just smells like me and I can't sleep anymore.

Dr-Cullen: Bella, why didn't you say something sooner?

Danger-Magnet: Yeah, I can see that happening. "Hey Charlie, can you talk to Carlisle for me?" "Sure. Why?" "Because apparently I can't sleep without the scent of my ex-boyfriend's pseudo-dad." That would go over really well…

Dr-Cullen: Okay, I see how telling Charlie wouldn't work, but you could have told me.

Danger-Magnet: I didn't want to disrupt your family. I'm the reason you moved, after all.

Dr-Cullen: Edward is the reason we left, not you Bella. And I doubt the family could get any more strained than it is now.

Danger-Magnet: What do you mean? What's going on?

Dr-Cullen: I don't want to worry you. You have enough on your plate already.

Danger-Magnet: Carlisle. Please? I'm pretty stubborn you know…

Dr-Cullen: Yes, I had heard. Alright. Edward stayed with the family long enough to greet Tanya and her coven before leaving. Last time I heard from him, he was somewhere in South America. It's put a strain in my marriage. Esme and I don't talk. We don't even "sleep" in the same room anymore. Alice knows from her visions. Jasper knows because he can sense what we're feeling. Emmett and Rosalie may not know yet, but I'm not sure. Suffice to say, we're having a few problems right now.

Danger-Magnet: Carlisle…I'm so sorry. How are you doing?

Dr-Cullen: I'm fine, Bella. Don't worry about me. I'm more worried about you. I e-mailed Charlie.

Danger-Magnet: What did he tell you?

Dr-Cullen: He said you weren't sleeping, and if you did manage to fall asleep you would wake up screaming. He said that you've thrown yourself into school and work. He said that you're getting worse by the day. Bella, he thinks he's going to lose you.

Danger-Magnet: I never wanted him to worry.

Dr-Cullen: He may seem like he doesn't pay attention, but he loves you Bella.

Danger-Magnet: I know. I know. It seems like we're both in bad situations.

Dr-Cullen: I'll be okay Bella, but if you don't start sleeping your health will deteriorate. Charlie isn't the only one who doesn't want to lose you.

Danger-Magnet: I know, and I'll try, but I can't promise anything.

Dr-Cullen: I suppose that'll have to be good enough for now. I'll see what I can do about fulfilling the terms of our hostage situation.

Danger-Magnet: Okay. Well, I have a ton of calculus homework. I'm really glad we were able to talk though. I've missed you.

Dr-Cullen: And I you. We'll talk again soon.

Danger-Magnet: I'll hold you to that, and I'll try to sleep tonight. I promise.

Dr-Cullen: Thank you. Goodnight Bella. Sleep tight.

Danger-Magnet: Goodnight Carlisle.

Bella smiled as she shut down the computer and returned to her calculus homework.

**I think I might be actually able to sleep tonight…**

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AN Part 2: Hey guys! so, i was re-reading the chapters i have posted and i noticed a bunch of grammatical and spelling errors that i didn't catch the first time around. i am incredibly embarassed, and if you guys see anything that i miss in the future, i'd really appreciate it if you could review or message me and tell me exactly how much of a dunce i am and which sentence(s) the epic-failure(s) occured.

Thanks!

psst! Reviews make me write faster! =D


	7. Chapter 7

AN!: Okay, I was so completely floored by how many reviews there were for the last chapter. I can't adequately describe the goofy grin on my face when i opened my e-mail this afternoon. thank you all soooo much! and, true to my word, i have typed out the next chapter in gratitude. hopefully there are no spelling or grammar errors this time around. =D  
enjoy!

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Chapter 7

She did sleep that night, but not the next night, or the night after.

She had survived for a time, but now her health deteriorated day by day as she got less sleep and almost completely stopped eating. Jess and Angela kept asking her if she was okay, but she passed their concerns off. She put on a good act. The only contradicting signs were the dark circles under her eyes and the gauntness of her cheeks.

Even her grades started slipping as her fatigue affected her focus.

It had been a month since she and Carlisle had last spoken last. He'd told her that Edward meant to come up to Alaska soon, and that since he'd forbidden all contact, Carlisle couldn't be caught thinking about talking to her let alone actually doing it.

Edward.

Every time she heard his name it was like a hole inside of her had been ripped open. She had loved him, and he had left her.

Jacob had tried to convince her to let go of Edward and be with him, but she'd refused. She didn't love Jacob, and she couldn't let go of any of the Cullens.

If she'd had the strength, she would have driven to Alaska already, though Charlie barely let her out of the house anymore. He looked like he was afraid she'd snap into pieces if a hard wind hit her. He was being a little overdramatic, but she knew he had a point. She would never tell Charlie. But she'd started collapsing when she got too stressed or overworked. She'd been lucky it hadn't ever happened in a public place.

She was enduring as best as she could, but she wouldn't last much longer.

* * *

Carlisle winced as he read Charlie's latest e-mail.

"Carlisle,

She's worse than ever. She doesn't sleep. She doesn't eat. Her grades are slipping. She's so skinny. She doesn't even look alive most days. Whatever life used to be in her eyes is gone now. And the worst part is that nothing I or anyone else says does anything. I need your help.

-Charlie

He had meant to e-mail Bella soon, but Edward had been so cryptic. Carlisle had been trying to protect what little communication there was between Bella and himself, and in doing so he'd let her condition worsen.

He couldn't say anything though. What if Edward came home? He would know instantly, and he wouldn't be able to speak to Bella again. And in addition he surmised that Edward would likely not speak to him for a long time as well.

He closed his eyes and put his head in his hands.

"I don't know what to do," He whispered sadly.

"You need to go to Forks." A voice said from in front of him.

He looked up to see Alice staring back at him.

"Alice, you know I can't."

"All I know is that if you continue down this path, Bella will die."

The last few words had been choked out.

His eyes widened.

"You can't be certain."

"You know my visions are subjective, but this one was so clear. Whether you e-mail her or not, she will die. Her strength is already waning."

"But Edward…"

She rolled her eyes.

"Edward is acting like an immature teenage boy. He's being callous and selfish. Bella is better off without him, but she does need you."

"I can't leave the family."

"Yes you can. Tell them the hospital is sending you to a medical conference in Seattle. It'll work."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

She grinned.

"Positive."

He nodded.

"Okay. I'll start packing immediately."

She grasped his hand lightly.

"Thank you Carlisle."

He squeezed back.

"You're the one who deserves the gratitude. Edward is not the only one who cares about Bella."

Alice left before he could blink, and a second later, he was in Esme's room packing a suitcase. He felt his wife enter the room behind him.

"You're leaving?"

He turned to face her.

"Only for a week. The hospital is sending me to a medical conference in Seattle. I tried to get out of it, but apparently it is necessary that they have a doctor attend and I am the only one who is able to go."

She nodded and turned to leave, but hesitated slightly.

He raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to speak.

With a sigh, she sat down on their bed.

"Carlisle…before you go, I think we should talk."

He nodded.

"I agree."

He sat down a reasonable distance away from her on the bed and waited for her to continue.

"Carlisle, we've grown apart these last few months. The strain in the family hasn't helped, but I know it wasn't the only reason. This has been happening for a long time now.'

He sighed.

"Esme…"

She smiled and reached out to hold his hand.

"It isn't uncommon for two people to fall out of love. Especially among those who live as long as we do."

He squeezed her hand lightly.

"I know."

She leaned her head on his shoulder lightly.

"I am grateful for the time we've had together."

He smiled.

"As am I. And I hope that we can still remain family, if only in spirit."

She nodded.

"Of course. Just because I will no longer be your wife doesn't mean we will no longer be family. You will always be my best friend."

He pulled her in for a gentle hug, before standing and picking up his suitcase.

"We'll tell everyone when I get back."

"Okay."

He turned to leave, sparing one last look at the woman he'd spent almost 60 years with. With a small sigh, he took his ring and put it on the other hand.

He would miss the good times he and Esme had shared together, but he could feel that this would bring about a change that would be a good for everyone. This would be the start of something new.

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Alrighty. there you go! thanks for reading, and i would be simply incredulously happy to find an equal amount of reviews in my inbox tomorrow.  
oh, and i have a philosphical question that has nothing to do with this fic. Is it possible to fall in love with someone you don't even know? And is it possible for that person to break your heart? i've been pondering this one for a while and i have no idea what the correct answer is. feel free to give me any insights you might have. i'm entirely too interested for my own good.


	8. Chapter 8

AN!: Okay, new chappie folks! I love you all bunches. you all made my day when i checked my e-mail and saw all the reviews you left me. anyway, i loved the answers you all left me on my oh-so-philosophical question. everyone had a really different pov. they were fun to read. and thank all of you for your condolences for my grandpa. we just had the funeral today, and it was really nice i think. anyway, i'm just glad all that drama is mostly done with.  
This chapter is a tad short in my opinion, but i hope you like it. cheers!

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Chapter 8

I tapped the steering wheel of my Mercedes impatiently. I'd never realized exactly how far Forks was from Seattle.

"I can run faster than this," I muttered impatiently.

Almost in protest, the engine purred and picked up a few more mph. I laughed. I loved this car. Despite the fact that I'd had a constant salary for about 300 years now and Alice had managed to multiply that easily with her "feelings" about the stock market, I'd probably never buy another car. Alice had tried to con me into buying a black Porsche, but I'd resisted. This car had everything I needed. Besides, it was just as fast as a Porsche.

Rationally I knew that my car drove twice as fast as I could run, but I still felt incredibly impatient. I'd been alive 363 years and yet these few hours still couldn't pass fast enough for my liking. I couldn't get to Forks, or Bella, nearly fast enough.

I remember when I had welcomed her into my home. Somehow I knew that she would end up playing an important role in all of our lives, but I never expected my life to be the one she affected the most. She had tried to change Edward's life, and he had been different for a time, but in the blink of an eye he had returned to his solitary ways, leaving me to piece together the mess he left behind.

I suppose I didn't have to do this. Perhaps Bella would have survived without us, but then would we have survived without her? She had found her way into all of our hearts, even Rosalie's, though she was loathe to admit it, and especially my own.

In the beginning I made friends easily, reveling in the companionship, but as time passed and I remained unchanged, I had to keep moving from place to place, mourning my own losses. Eventually I stopped putting myself through that hell. I was always polite, always friendly, but that was the extent to which I would interact with humans anymore. There's only so much loss one can handle.

But Bella had managed to sneak past the walls I had spent centuries erecting. We were not very close while she had been with Edward, but since his departure she had become a constant presence in my life, and it seemed, I in hers. I had no idea how I felt about that. It seemed that for once I was out of answers.

I slowed my Mercedes down instinctively as I entered Forks. I didn't have time to get pulled over. Looking over at the clock, I thought about where Bella would be. It was 6:00pm. Too late to be at school. I drove by her house, but her truck wasn't there.

There was only one other place she could be.

I pulled in quietly at Dowling's garage, hoping I wouldn't have to talk to John unless Bella was nowhere to be found. As I stepped out of the car I took a deep breath and immediately caught her scent. I followed it around the corner where I found her old Chevy truck parked with the driver's side door open. Curiously I walked around the truck, but stopped quickly. Bella was lying on the ground, not moving and barely breathing. I focused my hearing and sighed in relief as I picked up the faint beating of her heart.

I was at her side in an instant, cradling her still form. She was never this light before. Charlie was right. She hadn't been eating. As I moved one of my hands to hold her head up, I felt something moist. I knew what it was before I saw it.

Blood.

Calming down enough to think clearly and rationally, I tried to piece together what happened, but all I knew for certain was that she had fallen and hit her head.

Disregarding both her car and mine, I picked her up and started running. I was at my house in minutes, laying her down on the one piece of furniture that we'd left behind: the bed in the suite I had shared with Esme. We'd both agreed that it was just too big to bother moving, and it turned out to be very useful here. I opened the closet and pulled out one of my old medical bags. It didn't have the most modern tools, but it would do.

Bella still hadn't stirred.

I quickly looked her over to make sure there weren't any other injuries, and it was then that I noticed what she was wearing: my old jacket, and she looked better in it than I ever did. Getting back to the matter at hand, I turned her gently on her side, frowning when I felt how much her hipbone jutted out. Tilting her head, I parted her hair carefully, inspecting the gash. Luckily she wouldn't need stitches this time, but I would still need to clean and bandage it to make sure she wouldn't end up with an infection.

I worked quickly, even for me, and I was done in a matter of minutes. Absently I wished I had a banana bag to give her, but I'd never had the need for one in a house full of vampires.

Turning her onto her back again, I figured I had time to make one quick phone call.

* * *

"Hello?"

"Charlie?"

"Yes."

"It's Carlisle Cullen."

"Carlisle? Everything alright?"

"After a fashion. I have a medical conference in Seattle this week, so I drove down to Forks to check on Bella."

"Well, she's not here. She must still be over at Dowling's."

"Yes. I went there and found her outside. She was unconscious on the ground next to her truck."

"Is she alright? Was she hurt?"

"She must've lost her balance and fallen. She hit her head pretty hard when she fell. There was a gash, but it wasn't bad. I brought her back to my house and bandaged it."

"Will she be alright to go to school tomorrow?"

"She's still unconscious. I would like to keep her here at least for the next couple of days just to be on the safe side."

"Sure. I'll call the school and John Dowling and let them know that she'll be out for the rest of the week."

"Thank you Charlie. I'll keep you informed."

"Okay. And thanks for taking care of her. You're a good man Carlisle."

"It's no problem Charlie. I'll let you know as soon as she wakes up."

"Alright. Goodnight Carlisle."

"Goodnight."

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Okay! all done! please review! they really do make my day.


	9. Chapter 9

AN!: Hey guys, new chapter, and i gotta say a few things real fast.  
First of all, thanks again for the immense amounts of reviews. I love it when you guys tell me what youre thinking and help me out with my occasional typos.  
And second, i noticed that there was a story posted on that is suspiciously very similar to mine. don't get me wrong, i don't mind when people use my ideas, it means that they liked the ideas, so it's kinda like a compliment, but at the same time, it think it's at least necessary to credit the original story, or ask the original author. i'm not trying to be a jerk, i would've said yes, but i was never asked, so i'm a tad bit miffed.  
anyway, i'm done ranting. enjoy the chapter.

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Chapter 9

Bella's POV

I opened my eyes slowly, wincing at the pain coming from the back of my head.

I started to sit up, but two cold hands held me down.

"Slowly Bella." Said a low voice.

I turned my head to identify the speaker and inhaled sharply.

"Carlisle?" I whispered.

He smiled.

"Expecting someone else?"

I shook my head, speechless.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming."

He chuckled.

"If you were dreaming I doubt you'd have such a large headache."

My eyes widened in understanding and amazement. He was _real_.

"Carlisle!" I exclaimed, sitting up and throwing my arms around him.

His cold arms wrapped around my own frail body. I could feel tears of happiness escaping onto his shirt. He must've felt them too, because he pulled back gently. Reaching up, he carefully brushed away the tears on my cheeks.

"Are you going to cry every time we see each other?" He joked.

I laughed.

"Sorry. I just missed you. We haven't spoken in almost a month."

He grimaced.

"I know. I'm sorry about that. Alice kept getting conflicting visions of Edward. One day she was sure he was on his way home, and the next she would see him in South America again."

I looked at him curiously.

"What changed? I mean, why are you here now?"

He moved away.

"Would you prefer I left?" He asked with a small smile, knowing my answer before I said it.

"Don't even think about it."

I grabbed his hand and held it tightly, not paying any mind to the fact that he was easily twice as strong as me. He looked down at our joined hands and I felt his thumb caressing my skin lightly.

"Carlisle?" I whispered. "What's wrong?"

He looked up at me.

"You asked why I came here now. Do you really want to know?"

I nodded immediately, though selfishly all I cared about was the fact that he was here with me.

He spoke slowly, "Alice came to me last night. She said she'd had a vision…of you dying. She told me that the only way to save you was to come to Forks myself. I was on the next plane to Seattle."

I was totally speechless, only managing to choke out a few short words.

"How did I die?"

He looked at me.

"First I need you to tell me how you fell and hit your head, Bella."

I blushed slightly, cursing my humanity for giving me the ability to do so. He knew why I fell as well as I did. I looked away from his unyielding gaze, ashamed of the state I'd fallen into.

Carlisle's free hand cupped my cheek and lifted my head back up until his eyes recaptured mine.

"I'm sorry." I said, trying to keep my voice from breaking. "I tried to sleep, but I just couldn't. And I tried to eat, especially around Charlie. I never wanted him to worry about me. But I can't force much down anymore. It's almost like I physically can't live without you."

Carlisle cradled me to his chest.

"Oh Bella. You silly girl. Don't you know that we could not have lived without you either?"

I inhaled deeply, reveling in his familiar smell, suddenly realizing how tired I really was. I hadn't slept in 4 days, and the night before that I'd woken up screaming after only an hour of rest.

I tried to stifle a yawn, but Carlisle picked up on it easily.

Gently, he leaned back, keeping me in his arms as he laid down onto the bed. I closed my eyes and relaxed into his cool body. I opened my mouth to apologize, but was silenced when I felt his lips on my forehead.

"Sleep Bella. We'll talk when you wake up. I promise. Sleep."

And I did.

* * *

Carlisle's POV

Carlisle looked down at the girl he held in his arms and smiled.

_Thank God she's alive._ He thought to himself, unconsciously holding her a little tighter._ I don't know what I would've done without her._

He let his mind wander through the realm of possibilities.

Edward would likely have gone to the Volturi. Alice would have been devastated, which would have affected Jasper as well. Rosalie and Emmett would have been fine. She had never been particularly fond of Bella, and Emmett had an unbreakable spirit. He would survive. Esme had thought of Bella as one of her children. She would have been saddened by Bella's death.

_But how would I have fared?_ He wondered._ The occasions Bella and I had to really speak to one another had been few. We had not had much time to get to know one another. I cared for her as I would any member of my family, but not the way I was expected to. When Edward had first come to me, he had asked me to love Bella like a daughter. I had agreed, but over time I found that I could not fulfill his wishes. Bella was not my daughter. I did love her though, and that seemed to be enough to placate Edward._

Just then, Bella's facial features scrunched up in pain. Carlisle loosened his hold on her, hoping that he hadn't held her too tightly, but that only caused her to pull closer.

"Please don't go.' She whimpered.

He immediately comprehended. The nightmare was beginning. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, murmuring, "Its okay Bella. I'm right here. I promise I won't leave you."

Just like before, her features relaxed immediately at his words. He continued to watch her carefully for any more signs of pain, ready to do anything to take them away.

Then he understood.

_I can't stand to see her in pain._ He realized. _If she had died, I would have been in Italy right behind Edward._

For once, he was completely stumped. He had always been able to find answers in the past. It was why he had such a large personal library. He had an inquisitive mind, and he'd always wanted to know the reason behind all things. He was full of questions that needed answers, and those answers had never eluded him, but now he didn't know what to think.

_Calm down._ He chided himself. _Think through this rationally._

He knew that Edward was in some form of love with Bella. He knew that if she had died his son would have gone to Italy. And he also knew that he would have been only minutes behind him, begging for his own life to be ended.

_But what does it mean? _He wondered. _The most logical conclusion is that mine and Edward's reactions are one because our feelings for Bella are the same. But can it be true? Can the reason I never was able to love her as a daughter be because I was in love with her?_

He looked down at the young woman in his arms, allowing his eyes to wash over her and take everything in. He realized then that her hair wasn't simply brown; it was the color of dark chocolate. It seemed appropriate, as the color of her eyes had always been compared to milk chocolate. But he found it odd that no one noticed the sparkle that came from them when she was happy, or the way they darkened when she was sad or angry. Her skin wasn't pale, it was luminescent, and when she blushed, the beautiful rosy color shone all the clearer. She was small, fragile, but that made her all the more perfect.

And with that thought he sealed his fate.

_It's true._ He realized. _I really am in love with her. With my son's ex-girlfriend. With an 18 year old girl. A human._

He thought about something Aro, one of the head Volturi had said to him once. He had taught Carlisle much during his time there, but one thing now pushed itself to the forefront of his mind. Aro had spoken of "singers": humans whose blood sang for one specific vampire. It was said that though all human blood invoked desire in each and every vampire, there were those humans whose blood was almost impossible to resist. Carlisle had been fascinated. He'd wanted to run tests to find out what made them so seductive, but he had no singer of his own, and he knew of no vampire who had ever been able to resist their own.

He wondered now if Bella's blood sang for him as well as Edward. He had trained himself not to even notice the scent of any human's blood. Did that change the way Bella's blood might have affected him?

He though back to her birthday party. The night that had caused all of this. He had stitched up the gash in her arm, talking to her the whole time about his beliefs, aspects of his life that he'd never shared with his own family. He strained to remember if he had noticed the scent of her blood. His mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of his family, that he had noticed little else.

Going further back in his memories, he relived the night that James had almost succeeded in killing her. Her leg had been bleeding to the point where he had needed to use a belt as a tourniquet to save her life. He had feared that Edward's lack of control would kill her. He would have shoved the boy aside and sucked the venom out himself, but he'd wanted Edward to have the chance to know if he had the ability to stop, for one day he suspected that Edward would need to change Bella, and it was so easy to lose control.

He had been breathing deeply as Edward drank her blood, waiting for the moment he could no longer smell the venom. Venom smelled like acid. It was strong and it was acrid. He knew the moment it was out of her body, for the harsh smell had been replaced by a sweet scent. He had thought little of it then, being more concerned with her life than anything else, but looking back he knew that scent. It was that which he had trained his senses to ignore and he hadn't smelled in so many decades. It was the scent of human blood.

For that to have overcome all of the immunities he'd built up, it had to be incredibly strong. She would have to be his singer to accomplish such a feat.

He sighed.

_This would definitely complicate things._

Bella chose that moment to tighten her grip on him unconsciously.

He smiled, holding her close.

_I've never wanted a complication more…_

_

* * *

_

**Philosophical Question #2!!!!**  
Alrighty, i had so much fun with this last time, that i have another one for you.  
So, say you're completely in love with someone, and you know them really well and you're straddling that line between dating and just friends. But you never think of them in an "impure" manor. Is that weird? To have zero thoughts about *cough* doing the nasty *cough*? and also, to occasionally be bothered if you think about having those thoughts?


	10. Chapter 10

AN!:Hey guys! this is a tad short for a chapter, but i wanted to post it for you anyways, cuz i start school again tomorrow, and i dunno how often i'll be able to churn these suckers out for you. i promise to try though.  
Anyway, i had a few comments on how Bella is getting over Edward too quickly, and how Charlie wouldn't let Bella stay with Carlisle alone at his house, and how Charlie would have come to her side immediately if she had a head injury. This is my answer:  
One, Bella isn't over Edward. She's rather ignoring his name when Carlisle says it, and trying not to think of him at all, because it hurts less that way. I go into more detail later.  
Two, Charlie trusts Carlisle. He's known him for a few years and knows he's a good man and a good doctor. Besides, Bella hates hospitals and Charlie doesn't have the time or expertise to watch over Bella himself.  
And lastly, in the book it says Charlie doesn't hover. Carlisle said bella is fine, and Charlie trusts him. he knows he'll see bella in a few days if not sooner, so he has no reason to worry or come speeding over in his police cruiser.  
Hope that helps a bit. enjoy the chappie!

* * *

Chapter 10

Bella woke to the sound of Carlisle's voice.

"She woke up last night, but it was late and she went back to sleep fairly soon. I would have called you then but I didn't want to wake her. You mentioned that she wasn't sleeping."

She opened her eyes and looked up at Carlisle.

He smiled down at her and mouthed 'Charlie'. It was only then that she noticed the small silver cell he was holding up to his ear.

She nodded and settled back into his chest as he began speaking again.

"No, she's fine. The gash on her head is healing nicely and aside from a slight concussion, she hasn't showed any other signs of lingering symptoms."

He paused as Charlie spoke and then started again.

"No. She just woke up actually. Shall I pass the phone?"

Another pause.

"Alright. Hang on."

He looked down at Bella.

"Charlie wants to talk to you."

She shook her head.

"I'm comfy."

He laughed.

"I didn't say you had to move. Just put the phone to your ear and string together a few sentences to placate your father."

She sighed.

"Alright. Hand me the phone."

Carlisle leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Here you go." He said, handing her the cell.

"Dad?"

"Bells? How are you doing?"

"I'm fine dad. Honestly, you don't need to worry."

"Bella, Carlisle said you fell hard enough to split your head and give you a concussion."

"It's a really small cut, and I don't even have a headache."

"How did you fall anyway?"

"It was an accident. I was getting into the truck and tripped. I guess I must've fallen back and hit my head."

Charlie sighed.

"Bells, you need to be more careful."

"I know dad. I know."

There was a short pause before Charlie spoke.

"Alright, I have to get to the station. I'll see you later Bella.

"Alright dad."

"Bye Bells."

"Bye Charlie."

Bella snapped the phone shut and handed it back to Carlisle before snuggling into his chest again.

He laughed.

"Bella. You do know that it's morning, right?"

She groaned.

"I was comfy. What is it with you and your constant disregard for my comfyness?"

He shook his head.

"I let you sleep on me all night and you think I have no regard for your comfort?"

She opened her mouth and then closed it.

He chuckled.

"Shut up." She said, glaring up at him. He shrugged innocently.

She rolled her eyes and sat up slowly, reaching back to hold her head when it began to throb slightly.

Carlisle was up at her side before she could blink.

"Headache?" He asked.

She nodded.

Seconds later he was at her side with 2 Advil and a glass of cold water. She smiled gratefully, swallowing the pills quickly.

"Thanks Carlisle."

He nodded.

She took the opportunity to actually look around the room she was in, something she hadn't had the chance to do the night before. Confusion flooded her features.

"Where are we?"

"Esme's room."

"Oh. That explains it. I think this is the only room I haven't been in."

"I'm not surprised. Edward never came in here, so it would be unlikely that he would bring you."

Bella looked around, noticing the lack of furniture. She grinned.

"You took everything but the bed?"

He shrugged.

"We agreed it was too big to be able to move it quickly, not that we would have needed it anyway." He finished with a sigh.

Bella reached out to grasp his hand.

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously.

He looked at her, golden eyes meeting chocolate ones.

"Esme and I…we've been growing apart these past few years. We spoke just before I left. We're getting a divorce."

Bella had her arms around him before he knew what had hit him.

"I'm so sorry Carlisle."

He smiled.

"It's not your fault Bella. It would have happened eventually. Perhaps it is better that it was not prolonged."

She was the one to put her hand on his cheek this time.

"Are you okay?"

He looked at her, awestruck by her simple question.

It had been many years since someone had asked him that. He had always been the patriarch of the family; always the strong one. He acted like nothing affected him, for every coven needed its unwavering leader. He kept faith when no one else did for the sake of those he cared about. And so, in all his years, no one had deemed it prudent to ask about his wellbeing. Bella never ceased to amaze him.

"Carlisle?" She asked, concerned.

He turned his face into the hand that still rested on his cheek.

"Esme and I were together for nearly 60 years. She knows me better than anyone, except maybe Edward, and he can read minds, so I don't think that really counts. She was my best friend. It is painful to know that that is coming to its end. She's staying with the family though, and our friendship will mend in time."

He looked at Bella and smiled.

"I'll be fine."

She grinned back.

"Good."

Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. She moaned in embarrassment, hiding her face as Carlisle chuckled.

"Lunch time for the human?" he joked.

She sighed.

"Yeah. I'm probably past due on the whole eating deal. Although I did have some crackers yesterday."

The doctor looked down at her disapprovingly.

"I'm going to run down t get my car and then hunt down some food for you…and for me."

She rolled her eyes at the pun.

He grinned.

"The water and utilities will still be on. We keep them running just in case. You should shower and change while I'm gone. Alice probably left some clothes in her room. I'm sure there will be something there for you. I won't be long. I promise."

She nodded and then hesitated.

He raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head.

"It's nothing." She bit her lip. "Just hurry back."

He smiled, kissing the top of her head.

"I will."

And then he was gone.

* * *

Woo! One more done and posted!  
And thanks for the philisophical answers. you guys are awesome. I have loads of fun reading what you write. it's actually really interesting. i"ll try and come up with a good question for next chapter.  
Oh, and CullenObsession, if you could go and read my author's note at the beginning of the last chapter, i;d be much obliged.  
hasta pasta!


	11. Chapter 11

AN!:Hey guys, this is epicly short. Sorry about that. I thought about typing out the next section, but it flows better with the section after that, and that would have made this chapter epicly long, so i decided to wait until next time.  
Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this one. I kinda like it myself. So, uh, read it and please review. I live off of your feedback. :)

* * *

Chapter 11

Bella stood and walked, somewhat unsteadily, out of the suite and down the hall to Alice's room. She had only been in this room once or twice, but she did know where the enormous closet was. She opened it, finding it completely empty except for one bag in the floor. She walked over and picked up the luggage tag. It was labeled in Alice's small handwriting 'For Bella'.

She laughed. Typical Alice.

She opened the bag and pulled out not only a change of clothes, but a full set of bath supplies. Picking everything up, she walked back to the suite. Cautiously she opened the set of double doors to the bathroom, gasping at what she saw.

Esme had outdone herself. This was without a doubt one of the most beautiful bathrooms she had ever seen. It was easily twice the size of her room at Charlie's. The countertop was made of marble, as were the floors and sides of the shower and the bathtub. All of the accents were a deep cherry wood, and the walls were a rich cream color.

She debated for a moment whether she should take a bath or a shower, but one more look at the enormous bathtub and she was filling it with water and bubble bath.

She stripped slowly, placing each article of clothing on the countertop in a folded stack whilst always averting her gaze from the mirror. She'd stopped looking at her body a couple weeks ago, unable to stand the sight of her deteriorating form. Turning around, she turned off the water and got into the tub carefully.

With a sigh, she relaxed back against the built in headrest. She hadn't felt so content since the last time she'd seen Carlisle.

She laughed softly. She was becoming way too dependent on him. He was her rock now, the only thing holding her to this life. She couldn't really explain it. It didn't really make much sense. And no one would understand why she clung to the father of her ex-boyfriend so tightly.

She started going through her regular bathing routine, though her mind remained elsewhere.

She couldn't believe Carlisle and Esme were getting a divorce. They had seemed like such a strong couple, always so in love.

_I guess looks can be deceiving._ She thought sadly.

She and Edward must have also looked like they would never be parted, but everyone knew how well that had turned out.

Before she had time to linger on that thought, she heard the front door open and shut. She smiled. Carlisle was back. She got out of the tub and dressed in the outfit Alice had left. She was surprised to find that the pair of designer jeans actually fit. She had gotten so thin that most of her jeans were much too big now. After pulling those and the violet v-neck sweater on, she headed towards the door before pausing.

She walked back to the counter and picked up Carlisle's jacket. He would probably tease her, but she didn't care. She pulled it on along with the pair of slippers Alice had left and headed downstairs, grinning as she inhaled the aroma coming from the kitchen.

She walked in, smirking as she watched Carlisle juggling 3 pans on the stove. He looked up at her with a smile.

"I hope you're hungry."

She laughed.

"Why? Are you cooking enough for a small army?"

He shrugged innocently.

"Possibly. Nice jacket."

She blushed, causing him to chuckle.

"Charlie mentioned that you were wearing it."

She huffed.

"He's such a tattletale."

Carlisle stepped away from the stove for a minute, turning it down to let the food simmer.

"If it makes you feel any better, you look much better in it than I ever did." He said with a wink.

She turned pink again.

"Stop making me blush." She ordered, glaring at him half-heartedly.

He laughed.

"As you wish."

He returned to the stove and started preparing a plate. She watched him intently, impressed by the ease at which he held himself in the kitchen. Seconds later he set a plate down in front of her, announcing, "Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup."

She looked up at him happily.

"I haven't had this since I was a kid. It's too hot in Phoenix."

She took a bite and her eyes widened.

"This tastes so much better than it did when I was a kid. Why do you vampires have to be so good at everything?"

He chuckled.

"Bella, I'm 363 years old. I've had a lot of free time."

She stuck out her tongue.

"Stop reminding me. I keep forgetting how old you are. It's those irritating unchanging good looks. I keep letting myself get fooled by them."

Carlisle shook his head.

"Good looks? You must be blind. My looks rather pale in comparison to your own."

Bella made a sound of disbelief.

"My looks are plain. Yours are flawless."

"I am not without flaws. My hair used to be the color of your eyes, Bella."

She looked at him in surprise.

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Yes. I dyed it this color but a month before I was attacked."

She looked at him curiously.

'Why?"

He smiled wryly.

"To impress a young woman."

Bella's eyes sparkled with mirth.

"And who was she? Come on, spill! I want details!"

He rolled his eyes but indulged her anyway.

"Her name was Anna Prosser. She was the blacksmith's daughter. I wanted to court her, and in an attempt to impress her, I dyed my hair this pale blonde color. She seemed to prefer blondes. It was really rather silly of me. She wouldn't have had me. But I wanted to try. And now I'm forever stuck with this ridiculous color."

Bella laughed, running a hand through his golden locks gently.

"I don't think it's so bad."

He smiled softly, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you."

She blushed.

"Sorry," He apologized, cupping her cheek. "I seem to have done it again." She rolled her eyes and returned to her sandwich happily.

Carlisle smiled.

"Glad to see you have an appetite."

She looked at him playfully.

"I blame you."

He smiled at her familiar words and spoke softly.

"Happy to be your scapegoat."

* * *

Oky doky. and that was chapter 11. I should have 12 up either tomorrow or the next day. it depends on whether i decide to actually sleep or not.

Philisophical question #3!  
I love these. you guys have such fun answers. this one is just silly, but i figured i;d toss it out there and see what your penetrating minds come up with.  
Okay, it it possible to date someone that you've never met in person? Someone you've only talked to on the phone or internet, ect?  
I've had a few friends that have had online boyfriends and what not, and i was just curious as to what you guys think about that.  
that is all!  
i love you and your reviews!  
hasta pasta!


	12. Chapter 12

AN!:Woo! Epicly long chapter this time! Sorry it's been a bit longer than usual, but hey, at least it's now posted. A big happy b-day to one of my nifty reviewers out there. Sorry i can't remember the username, but it's the thought that counts. enjoy the chapter! and please review!

* * *

Chapter 12

When I finished eating, we both cleaned the dishes and put them in the dishwasher before heading back upstairs to talk. As we walked down the hall, I stopped in front of a closed door.

Carlisle stood next to me, an arm around my shoulders. I took a deep breath and opened the door that had once led to Edward's room. I wasn't sure what I expected to see, but there was nothing there.

The room was completely empty. Every CD and every record was gone. So were the couch and the radio. There was no evidence to suggest that he had ever lived in this room at all.

Carlisle squeezed my shoulders.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up at him and smiled sadly.

"I will be."

He nodded, moving to stand behind me as his arms found their way around my waist. I leaned back into him, still looking at the empty room. He rested his cheek on top of my head.

"Do you miss him?"

I thought about that for a minute. Did I miss Edward? He had pulled me out of my dull existence. He had loved me, which was an immediate improvement in my previously non-existent love life. But did I miss the controlling nature? Did I miss the way his words would sometimes have a condescending tone like I was only a mere child? Did I miss his cryptic nature, always leaving me in the dark? No, I would never miss those things.

Edward had made me feel loved, and he had brought me into his magical world where nearly anything was possible. Those two things were what I would have missed the most, but I didn't miss them in the slightest, because I had them once again. The gentle man behind me gave me both of them and so much more without ever asking for anything in return. Edward had demanded my love and obedience. Carlisle demanded nothing.

I closed my eyes. Perhaps I had never really loved Edward. Maybe he had simply been put in my life to bring me into this world. I suppose I would never really know.

A kiss on the top of my head broke my reverie.

"Bella? You okay?"

I turned around and looked up into his golden eyes with a smile.

"I will be."

* * *

Once I had settled myself back on the bed and Carlisle had inspected the cut on the back of my head and deemed it unnecessary to bandage, he sat next to me and spoke.

"Bella, I've been meaning to go and speak to Charlie in person. I suspect that if he isn't assured of your well-being, he may come to check on you here. And I must point out that I am not entirely equipped for a visit, nor is he likely to understand the position he might find us in."

I nodded in comprehension.

He continued.

"Also, I was going to stop by your school and pick up your homework if that's alright. Can't have you falling behind."

I snorted. School was the last thing on my mind.

"By all means." I responded, rolling my eyes.

He chuckled and kissed my cheek gently before leaving in the blink of an eye.

I sighed. Without Carlisle, I really did have nothing to entertain me.

I tried to take a nap, but found myself again unable to sleep without him. After tossing and turning for at least twenty minutes, I stood and walked down the hall again, pausing at the door to Carlisle's office. There was bound to be a book or something in there. I pushed the door open and walked in.

"Damn," I cursed. "Foiled again."

Just like Edward's room, the office was completely bare. But at the same time she knew she was in Carlisle's room. Edward's room had always been cold. The white walls had never been painted; the interior had never been changed. The office however, was Carlisle through and through. The wood floor was only a shade lighter than the paneled walls, and the cream colored ceiling looked as though it and its subtle decorations might have been carved out of stone.

I remembered my first impression of the room in its fully furnished state. It had reminded me of how I'd always pictures a college dean's office would look. Carlisle would probably find that rather funny, though I suspected that he could handle a job like that with ease.

"Damn perfect vampires." I said with a smile.

I walked over to the window and pulled it open, sitting down on the thick windowsill and looking out at the typically foggy Forks afternoon.

That man can do anything. I've never seen him falter. And not only that, but he succeeds with perfect calm and grace.

I took a deep breath of the thin mountain air. What I wouldn't give for a little sunlight. An errant thought ran through my mind, putting a silly grin on my face. What would Carlisle look like in the sunlight? Edward's dark hair and eyes against his pale skin made him look ill, especially in the sun, but Carlisle's golden locks and constant golden gaze could only look better than I would imagine.

I paused for a moment, surprised at the path my mind had wandered down. I needed to figure out what Carlisle was to me, what he meant to me. And I needed to do that soon.

"Hey," Said a soft voice from behind me.

I turned around and smiles at Carlisle as he walked in carrying a bag of my stuff along with several books that probably contained all of the schoolwork I'd missed.

I smirked.

"It looks like you got my homework for the semester." I joked.

He grinned.

"Just about."

He set everything down next to the door and walked over to stand behind me, putting his arm around shoulders. I rested my chin on his arm, not averting my gaze from the mountains and trees outside.

Carlisle's thumb made soothing caressing motions on my shoulder as he spoke softly.

"So, what are you doing in here?"

I smiled and came up with the least incriminating response.

"Thinking."

"About what?"

I shrugged.

"Everything. About the first time I was in here actually."

"That was when Edward brought you, wasn't it?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. You had to go to the hospital, so Edward had to tell me your story.

He took a deep breath and then released it.

"He knows it almost as well as I do. I trust he did a good job."

"He did alright. He's not much of a storyteller though.

"No, I wouldn't imagine so. He never did tell you much, did he?"

I snorted.

"He hardly told me anything, even when it concerned my life. I don't think he thought much of my ability to make rational decisions. He was always so controlling.'

Carlisle signed.

"Edward has always been like that. He's very headstrong and he always believes he knows what is right. He means well though."

"I know." I said with a sad smile. "He always made that quite clear. I wish he had trusted me a little more though."

I let out a content sigh as he pulled me back to rest against his marble chest.

He spoke softly.

"He did trust you Bella. I think it was his family that he did not trust. He knew how we all felt about you. With the exception of Rosalie, we all felt that you should be changed, if only for your safety. Edward wouldn't hear of it. He's very stubborn."

"Yes he is, but then so am I."

The man behind me chuckled.

"I can't argue with that. I've sometimes wondered if it was right of me to change him. He was so young."

"So am I." I countered.

"Yes." He agreed. "You are, but you are much older than him in your thoughts and emotions. I do not believe he was much the same, and as the body stops changing after the venom stops the heart, I have often wondered if it also stops the minds ability to grow in certain areas. Though he has learned much in many regards, he has not matured in others."

I pondered his words before responding curiously.

"What about you? Your maturity does not seem to have been impeded in the least."

"Why do I feel as though you think me to be an old man?"

I laughed softly.

"Don't worry. That's not what I meant, though you are pretty ancient."

"Thank you ever so much for that." He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed.

"You know what I meant."

"Yes, I do, and I must confess that even at only 23 I was already extremely mature for my age, despite my utter foolishness around women. I was already running my father's house, and due to his constant absence in my life, I'd had to grow up rather quickly in any case.

I frowned sadly. A man of his unending compassion would not have had to endure something so unfair, but I supposed I would not have him any other way.

"We are one and the same then." I said, looking up at him with a smile. "My mother always said that I was born middle-aged."

Carlisle laughed.

"You must be the envy of all women then, to be middle-aged with such incredible good looks."

I snorted.

"You need to have your eyes checked."

I felt him move from behind me and then he was perched on the windowsill facing me.

"Bella," He said softly. "How can you think yourself so plain? I have lived many years and never seen your equal."

"Obviously you've never been to Hollywood then."

"I am not teasing you Bella. Yours is a natural beauty unmatched by any."

"Rosalie is much more beautiful. As is Esme. And even Alice. How can you compare me to them?"

"Easily. It is true Rosalie has beauty, and I cannot find a fault in the woman I shared a human's lifetime with. Alice has her own beauty about her as well, but all of them have been affected by the venom. You only see them now. But when they were human they looked quite different. And if I were to compare all of you in your humanity, you would have no equal."

I blushed and looked away from his unending gaze.

There was a smile in his words as he spoke.

"I've gone and done it again. I can't seem to help making you blush."

"No kidding." I muttered in annoyance.

He chuckled.

"I only speak the truth Bella. If honesty makes you blush then you will likely be blushing for a long time hence."

"Your version is much too flattering. I still think you need to get your eyes checked."

He shook his head.

"I feel inclined to inform you that in addition to its other capabilities, vampire venom also improves eyesight. Good vision for humans in known as 20/20. I bought an eye scanner once. My vision was off the charts."

I sighed dramatically.

"Well, there goes my last excuse."

He smiled.

"Good."

* * *

Alright, and there it is. hope you liked it. please leave me a nifty review. it'll give me all kinds of warm fuzzies.

That's right, you guessed it, it's time for philisophical question #4!  
And here it is:  
So, in my experience, generally if someone you know likes you and you don't like them back, they kind of annoy you and you just don't want to be around them. So, it follows that if you like someone, and they say they don't reciprocate, but you and that person get extremely close, and that person keeps flirting with you despite what they said, does that mean that they lied? or that their feelings changed? or is it really plausible to not have any feelings there despite the circumstances?  
I'm definetly excited to see your answers on this one. :)

Cheers!


	13. Chapter 13

AN!:Hey guys! sorry it took so long to update. it's finally the weekend, so i should have a lot more free time. I want to get two more chapters up before monday if i can.  
Anyway, I stopped writing for a bit because i decided that i wanted to show a few of my close friends what i had been writing. all of them liked it but one. One of my friends that i really respect said it was "weird". that totally killed my willingness to write or post more, so that explains why it took so long to get a chapter up. Eventually i figured out that she thought it was weird because she'd only read the first chapter, but still, it wasn't exactly great to hear.  
But anyway, i hope you guys enjoy the chapter. please review! they make me smile!

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Chapter 13

The next day I got what I had been wishing for. Sunlight.

I couldn't help grinning. I knew what I wanted to do today.

"Carlisle?" I said, no louder than if he had been standing right next to me, knowing he would hear me. A second later he was at my side.

"Yes Bella?' He said, looking at me with a smile.

I grinned merrily, almost skipping over to him.

"How much do you love me Carlisle?"

He chuckled.

"What do you want Bella?"

I bounced on the balls of me feet, speaking enthusiastically.

"Well. Considering the fact that God has bestowed the miracle of sunlight on Forks today, can we go outside? Please please please?"

He looked at me in amusement.

"Of course Bella. Where do you want to go? You know my limitations."

I nodded.

"Can we go to the clearing?"

He paused for a moment and then smiled.

"Of course. Let me grab a few things and we'll go."

I raised an eyebrow.

He just winked at me.

"You'll see."

I rolled my eyes.

"Alright alright. I'll change and meet you outside"

He nodded and left silently.

Now completely excited, I pulled an old comfortable pair of jeans on. I loved them. Even Alice couldn't scoff at them. They looked awesome on. Rummaging through the bag of clothes Carlisle had brought from Charlie's, I pulled out a long-sleeved gray t-shirt and put it on underneath Carlisle's jacket.

I took the stairs perilously fast considering my natural clumsiness and current weakness.

Walking outside, I perched on the stairs of the porch, waiting patiently for my escort. On cue, the black Mercedes pulled out of the garage and stopped in front of me. I stood and was about to walk over, when the driver's door opened and out stepped a god.

I stopped in my tracks and I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped.

When I had first seen Edward in the sun, I hadn't believed there could be a more beautiful sight. I had been very very wrong. Edward hated the sun, and he wore his skin with such disdain. But Carlisle, he didn't only sparkle, he glowed. He had once told me that he always tried to do the best with the life he was given. He didn't let shame and guilt rule his life. He was so beautiful.

A cleared throat interrupted my daydream.

I looked up and blushed at Carlisle's bemused expression.

He was holding open the passenger door expectantly. I walked over and got in the car, all the while muttering about my "stupid perfect vampire". And his soft laugh assured me that it did not go unnoticed.

He shut the door after me and was in the driver's seat pulling out in no time.

I looked over at him, noticing the small smile on his face.

"I'm hurt," I joked.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever for?"

"I think you love your car more than me."

He grinned at me.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, sure. Though if it had to be a car, I have to admit that this one is justified. I love this car."

He nodded.

"So do I. Alice keeps trying to convince me that I need a Porsche or a Ferrari, but I wouldn't trade this car in under any circumstances."

I laughed. Typical Alice.

"Well, if you ever buy a new car, I'm stealing this one from you."

He laughed.

"Deal."

A moment later he spoke again.

"How is your truck faring?"

I grimaced.

"Not so great. Now I can't even push it past 50. It's definitely a senior-citizen."

"Be nice." He said with a small smile. "I'm at least four times as old as that truck."

I grinned.

"Yeah, but you're like a timeless hot rod in pristine condition, not an old falling apart Chevy."

He chuckled.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

He pulled off the road a moment later and parked the car. This time he let me open my own door, as he was grabbing a large black bag from the trunk which he tossed over his shoulder.

"So," He said. "Are we hiking or am I running?"

"You do not want to see me try and hike. It's not pretty, and it's rather pathetic."

He smiled.

"Alright." He stepped towards me. "Ready?"

I nodded. If I remembered to shut my eyes, I'd be fine in no time. I waited for him to sling me across his back, but instead he scooped me up into his arms gently. I wanted to look up at him in surprise, but feeling the wind sweeping past me, I kept my eyes closed and my head down, burrowing it into his chest. This time I enjoyed the experience. With Edward I had always been afraid to have to run with him, but with Carlisle, being held in his arms, I felt safe.

He slowed down gradually, so I wouldn't be thrown around as much. As soon as we entered the clearing I sighed peacefully. I loved this place. Carlisle was walking at human speed now, and he probably could've set me down already, but frankly I wasn't going to pitch a fit.

As soon as we reached the middle of the clearing, he stopped and set me down carefully.

"Was that so bad?" he asked playfully.

I shook my head.

"Not even a little. I think that may have been the only time I've enjoyed tagging along with a running vampire."

He grinned, pulling the black bag from his shoulders and setting it down.

I watched him curiously as he rummaged through it and before I had a chance to put a hand up, I had some sort of material in my face. I pulled it away and held it out in front of me. It was a baseball jersey. I smiled widely.

"I get my own jersey now?"

He nodded, pulling out his own jersey and putting it on over his long sleeved gray t-shirt. He was wearing the same thing he'd worn the first time I'd watched them play ball here.

I followed suit, buttoning the soft material over my own shirt. I held Carlisle's jacket in my arms, wanting to put it back on, but figuring I probably shouldn't have it on.

He saw my discomfort and held his hand out. I raised an eyebrow and he laughed.

I'll give it back. I promise."

I huffed, but handed it to him nonetheless, eyeing him as he placed it in the bag he'd brought with him.

Why oh why did he have to be so gorgeous? Out of all the vampires, Carlisle was the one who truly made the jersey look amazing. I tugged at mine self-consciously which, of course, he picked up on.

"You look beautiful Bella." He said with a smile.

I blushed and busied myself, pulling my long dark hair into a quick ponytail.

When I finished, he was waiting a few feet away with a ball and a glove in his hands.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have a death wish?"

He shook his head.

"Nope. Vampire, remember"

I rolled my eyes.

"You do know that I have zero athletic ability, right?"

He shrugged.

"I have faith. Besides, if you're going to fit in with my family you're going to need to learn how to throw a baseball."

I stopped at his words, completely shocked.

His eyebrows furrowed as he took in my expression.

"What's wrong Bella? What did I say?"

I shook my head.

"No. it's just…you want me to be a part of your family?"

He smiled and walked over to me to take my hand.

"You already are Bella. And I feel that you always will be. You're a part of my life now. You don't expect me to leave you all alone in such a dangerous town, do you?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, Forks is just full of crime these days."

He smirked.

"Bella, you could find trouble anywhere."

I stuck my tongue out at him, which only served to make him laugh.

Shaking my head, I grabbed the glove from his hand and shoved it on.

"Alright. Let the torture commence."

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Alrighty, another one down. Sadly, i don't have another philosophical question for you yet. maybe next chapter. I do however, want to thank all of you for the reviews you've been leaving me. Some make me smile, some make me laugh, and some give me an extreme case of warm fuzzies, but either way they are all so exceedingly nice, and i can't thank you enough for all of your kind words and support. I hope i can meet your expectations of me. keep reviewing!  
Thanks!  
-The author. (have i mentioned my name? i can't remember. oh well, i'll throw it out there anyway. the name is Kristi, but you can call me whatever funky nickname you come up with. My friends call me Big Red. Some of my teachers just call me Red. Whatever floats your boat. I'll answer to whatever nickname you give me. :D )


	14. Chapter 14

AN!:Hey guys! another chapter typed and posted. i'm trying to pump em out quick for you, but i'm annoyingly busy.  
Anywho, i had a review or two that mentioned that i was just kind of meandering along and that there wasn't a lot of plot in the story, just meaningless fluff. I did notice that, but i'm of the opinion that you can't put plot in every chapter. you need a little bit of filling every once in a while. i promise that if you don't think that this chapter is back on track then the next one will definetly be.  
I hope you enjoy it. I'll try and get one more chapter up late tomorrow night!

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Chapter 14

The rest of that day passed without event, as did most of the next one. Both were spent much like the days before, Bella being entertained by Carlisle.

It was evening now, and Bella had just finished the dinner that Carlisle had artfully prepared for her. He picked up her plate and put it in the dishwasher before turning back to her.

"Bella, its Sunday. I'm going to have to take you back to Charlie's"

She looked up at him and sighed sadly.

"I love this, just being here. Can't you just home school me or something?"

He chuckled softly

"I don't think Charlie would allow that."

"Would you?"

"I'm not sure I'm as versed in every subject you would need. Things change, especially in education."

"I'd be surprised if you weren't overqualified for it, but that's not what I meant. Would you want me here?"

"Of course Bella. Can you imagine how bored I'm going to be while you're at school all day? I'm contemplating seeing if I can pick up a few shifts at the hospital just to keep me busy."

Bella looked at him.

"You should. I know you miss it. Fixing all of my injuries isn't nearly as exciting for you as the ER I'm sure."

"No, not as exciting, but much more fulfilling I think. In the hospital I usually only do what I can to help. I don't always get the chance to see the results. I don't get to see my patients recover and heal completely. With you, I see the outcome. I can see my work. Besides, none of my patients are as beautiful as you." He finished with a wink.

Bella blushed.

"Must you always flatter me with your sweet nothings?"

He grinned.

"Always. Now, we'd better get you over to Charlie's. You have homework to finish and questions to answer."

Bella frowned, but stood and followed Carlisle to his car, getting in despite how much she wanted to stay.

She laughed as he revved the engine playfully.

"I really am going to steal this car from you one day."

He shook his head.

"Not if I can help it."

"Well I suppose its hopeless then. A silly human versus a vampire. No contest really."

He looked at her.

"Silly human? You could never constitute as a silly human, Bella."

"Then why do you keep calling me one?"

He shrugged.

"Reflex?"

Bella rolled her eyes and looked at the speedometer. Remarkably, he was only going about 50 mph.

"Carlisle, you can drive your normal speed. I promise I don't mind."

He looked over at her and with a grin, pressed the gas pedal down, returning his eyes to the road as the car lurched forward.

In what seemed like no time at all, Carlisle pulled up at the house and parked. He carried Bella's bag as they walked toward the front door. Charlie opened the door before they got there, ushering them both in. Apparently the house had been lonely without Bella around.

After Charlie had thanked him several times, Carlisle walked Bella upstairs to her room, still holding her bag. As soon as the door closed behind them, Carlisle set the bag down and looked at her.

"Bella, are you going to be alright without me?"

She looked over at where he was leaning against the door.

"I think so. What will you do all night?"

He shrugged.

"I was thinking about hunting, and then I'll probably run through the woods around here. Just in case."

She smiled.

"Thanks."

She walked over and hugged him tightly, trying to get her fill before he left for the night. Looking back up at him and noticing how dark his eyes were, she sighed.

"You'd better go hunt.

He nodded.

"Promise me you'll try and sleep?"

"I promise."

"Good." He opened the door and turned to leave before looking back. "Leave the window open."

She smiled.

"I will, now get out of here."

He grinned and kissed the top of her head before walking out. She heard him say goodbye to Charlie, and then the front door open and shut. She eyed the bed nervously before opting instead for the calculus book on her desk.

It was another 2 hours before she set it and the rest of her homework down. And it was then that Charlie walked in.

"Hey Bells," he said, eyeing her curiously.

"Hey dad."

"How's your head?"

"It's fine. No stitches, just a concussion. I probably could've gone to school"

He nodded.

"Well…what did you do for the last couple days?"

"Slept mostly, though he did teach me to throw a baseball. And apparently I'm not half bad."

"Huh," He snorted. "Well. I'm off to bed."

He walked back to the door. "Glad you're okay Bells." He said as he closed it behind him.

She smiled.

"Night dad."

She sighed as she changed into her pajamas and got into bed.

_I promised I'd try…_

And she did try. She tossed and turned for another hour before giving up.

"Carlisle?" She said resignedly.

The mattress moved beside her and she turned her head, watching him settle in beside her.

"Sorry," She muttered. "I did try."

He smiled.

"I know Bella. I heard you. It's alright. Just sleep."

She nodded as she took her usual spot curled up into his chest.

"Thanks Carlisle."

He kissed the top of her head.

"Anytime Bella."

He watched her fall asleep in his arms again for the 4th day in a row, wondering how far that streak would go. He couldn't stay forever. In fact, he suspected that now would be a good time to call his family.

Careful not to move Bella, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Alice's number. She picked up on the first ring.

"It's about time."

"Sorry Alice." He said, speaking quietly so that Bella wouldn't wake.

"Of course you are. How is Bella?"

"Don't you already know?'

"Just because I can foresee random events doesn't mean I'm all knowing."

"She's okay Alice. You were right to send me when you did. She's emaciated and very weak. If I had been a mere few days later she might have slipped into a coma or perhaps something even more life-threatening."

"She's been eating though. And sleeping."

"Yes. She has been eating. That has made a definite improvement in her condition, but she still doesn't sleep unless I'm there."

"I was going to ask what that was."

"Yes. I thought you might. Apparently Edward had been sneaking in and holding her as she slept for several months. She grew accustomed to it, and when he left she was unable to sleep alone."

"I've seen her sleeping though. Just after we left."

"Yes. I accidentally left a jacket behind. My scent helped her sleep."

"And you don't find that odd?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. Just take care of Bella."

"I will. How is the family?"

"We're fine. Esme seems better, which is improving the mood considerably. We played ball with Tanya's coven yesterday and whipped them soundly."

"Naturally. I'm glad everyone is doing better."

"You want to stay longer, don't you…?"

"Yes, I do. I'm supposed to be home in 3 days, but I don't want to leave Bella. I'm almost certain she will relapse."

"She will."

"You saw it?"

"Yesterday. But Carlisle, if you stay there might be trouble. Edward called. He's planning on coming back at the end of the month, maybe sooner. He wasn't specific, and he keeps changing his mind so often that I can't get an exact time."

"What do you think I should do?"

"You should stay. Bella needs you. And I can buy you some time when I can actually pinpoint what day he'll be here. Not much time, but some. Perhaps a day or two. Long enough for you to her back and appease Edward until he leaves again."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure that you should stay. The rest is up in the air."

"Okay. I will stay then."

"Good."

"Tell everyone that I love and miss them, and see what you can do about giving them a reason for my continued absence."

"I will. Tell Bella the same."

"Of course. Bye Alice."

"Bye Carlisle."

He flipped the phone shut and looked back down at Bella. She was indeed proving to be a complication, but he was willing to risk all he had if it meant that she would be okay. For, right now, she was all that mattered.

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So, there you go. Hope you liked it. I think i do. there was actually a chapter in between the last one and this one, but i cut it out because it sort of fell off the plot line completely and had almost no actual use. there are a few good sentences that i might reuse from it though, so you might see some of them later. eh.

So, i've been thinking about philosophical questions, and i have one for you potentially.  
We'll call it philisophical question #3.5  
So, say you have a really good friend that was first more of an authority person then a friend, so you respected them before they were your friend, and still respect them. They have a more nurturing role in your life. So, this person tells you they care and always gets on your case if youre doing something stupid, ect. Well, at least they used to. now they're just getting annoyed everytime they hear about you doing something stupid, and they just don't want to hear it anymore.  
So question #3.5 is: Do they really care, or are they just fed up?

Eh. Silly question. Anywho, please please please review! i love your reviews. they make my day!  
Cheers!  
-Kristi/Big Red/Red/Girly/Any other nicknames you gave me that i've forgotten and therefore left out. :)


	15. Chapter 15

AN!: I'm just crackin these puppies out. i'm slightly impressed with myself. Originally this chapter was much longer, but i got exceedinly tired of typing, and i checked the word count and this is the length of my usual chapters, so i decided that it was good here. I'll get out part 2 asap. hopefully later today. potentially tomorrow. not sure yet.  
Anyway, enjoy, and hold tight for an#2 at the end of the chapter as usual.

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Chapter 15

(Bella's POV)

I stirred when I felt someone pick me up and move me, and opened my eyes when an extremely bright light forced its way through my lids. Carlisle had picked me up bridal style and walked me over to the window, where sunlight was pouring in.

I looked up at him with a smile.

"Good morning."

"Yes it is." He agreed, his skin sparkling brilliantly.

"Way to wake me up."

He grinned.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time."

I looked outside in amazement.

"Sunlight for the 2nd day in a week. Someone up there loves me."

He feigned hurt.

"What? My love isn't enough?"

I stuck my tongue out.

"If you could control the weather it would be."

He chuckled.

"I'll work on that. But for now, you'd better start getting ready for school. You have about half an hour before you need to leave."

I groaned. I'd be happy after graduation.

"Do I have to go?"

"You probably should. You'll need good grades for college."

"I'm going to college?"

"You don't want to?"

"I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it. I know Edward wanted me to go, but I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life."

"You have time. You'll figure it out."

I snorted.

"Easy for you to say. You've found your calling. You know what makes you happy."

"Yes, but it took many years for me to find that calling. You cannot expect to find yours overnight."

I sighed.

"I know, but I need to figure it out soon. How else will I know where to apply?"

He looked at me thoughtfully.

"Would you like to come with me to the hospital some time this week when you aren't working? It might be helpful, and if not it will at least rule out a few options."

I smiled.

"I'd love to. Thank you."

His lips quirked upwards.

"Anytime Bella. Now go. You're down to 25 minutes."

I grinned and ran off to the bathroom. Rushing, I took the worlds fastest shower and was so flustered that I walked back into my room clad in only a towel. As I rifled through my closet a voice interrupted me.

"Nice outfit. I think you should wear it to school."

I inhaled sharply, having forgotten that he was still in my room.

He chuckled.

"Sorry if I startled you."

I clutched my towel tightly, blushing fiercely.

His expression softened.

"I'm sorry Bella. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'll leave if you like."

"No, it's okay. Help me find something to wear and you're forgiven"

He raised an eyebrow, but walked over and joined me at the closet.

"I'm not sure what help I'll be. I'm ashamed to admit that Alice buys all of my clothes. The only purchase I've made in the past decade is the jacket you managed to steal from me so handily."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're very insistent that I stole it despite the fact that I know you just accidentally left it here."

"Ah, but I believe it was you that charmed me out of it."

"Oh, yes, was that before or after you deemed me so weak that I was likely susceptible to pneumonia?"

He chuckled, pulling a light blue sweater out and offering it to me. I took it along with the pair of jeans I'd pulled out, looking up at Carlisle with a smirk.

"And you said you were no good at this."

He simply winked as I walked back to the bathroom.

I probably should have been uncomfortable around him in that state of undress, but I was completely comfortable. Being around Carlisle felt so natural, more natural than being with Edward had ever been. Edward and I had been very awkward and careful around one another. This felt different.

Shaking my head, I changed quickly and walked out, seeing Carlisle exactly where I left him, rifling through my closet.

"Looking for something in particular?"

He looked up with a smile.

"That's a good color on you."

"Thank you, but you didn't answer my question."

He shrugged.

"I was looking for my own hostage."

"Well, in that case there's a rather stunning pink cardigan in the back. It'd look lovely with your coloring."

He gave me an annoyed but tolerant look.

"I am not wearing pink."

I laughed, walking back to the closet and pulling out a large red jacket.

"Here," I said, tossing it to him. "Your own personal hostage. It's from my high school in phoenix. I used to wear it to bed. Renee was a little excessive with air-conditioning."

Carlisle looked up at me with a grin.

"Shall I?" He asked.

"By all means."

He pulled my jacket on over his long sleeved black t-shirt and zipped it up. It was fairly snug against him, but no more so than a fitted sweater would have been.

"It fits," He said, surprised.

"Yeah, it always was big on me. My mom bought it for me before my freshman year. She got it in a bigger size assuming I'd grow into it. I never did."

Carlisle shrugged.

"Works for me. I like my hostage."

"Of course you do." I said as I continued to look him over. The black t-shirt had already looked gorgeous, bringing out the darker roots beneath his blonde hair, and making a striking contrast to his pale skin, but the deep red color of the jacket made his golden eyes look like they were on fire. My stomach fluttered briefly, and I was sure my heart was beating a little faster than usual, because Carlisle was staring at me intently.

"Bella?" He asked curiously.

I smiled softly.

"Your eyes. The color of the jacket really brings them out."

He smiled back before checking his watch.

"5 minutes Bella. You almost ready?"

I nodded.

"Just let me grab a pop tart and I'll be good to go."

He looked at me, confused.

"What on earth is a pop tart?"

My jaw dropped slightly before I simply started laughing.

"Seriously?" I asked between chuckles.

He nodded.

"Esme does the shopping. I only help her load the food into boxes which we ship to a charity in Portland. As far as I know, she has never purchased a pop tart."

I shook my head in amazement.

"Come on. I'll show you, and then you can drive me to school."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh I can, can I?"

I grinned.

"Yep. Today you have the privilege. But only on one condition."

"Which is?"

"You have to pick me up afterwards. Oh, and you have to go to the hospital. I'll feel better if I know you won't be bored all day."

"That's two conditions." He said as we walked into the kitchen. "But I shall accept, as long as you promise to stay out of trouble while I'm gone."

I smirked at him playfully.

"Don't you know me at all?"

He gave me a pointed stare.

"Don't make me hang around here all day."

"Okay okay." I huffed, pulling a package of pop tarts out of the cupboard and tossing it to him. "I promise to try and stay out of trouble. Behold the wonder that is the pop tart."

He opened the packaging and looked at its contents.

"Why exactly is this wonderful?"

I shrugged.

"It's not. It's just quick and easy."

He eyed it suspiciously.

"I'm making you breakfast tomorrow."

"Works for me."

We walked out of the house and got into my truck, which groaned before finally coming to life.

I pulled into Forks high minutes later with a sigh.

"You're sure I have to go to school?"

"Positive." He said with a smile. "You'll be fine. I'll see you in a couple of hours.

"Okay okay." I grumbled, turning the engine off and hopping out.

He got out as well, meaning to cross over to the driver's side. We met halfway and I leaned in and hugged him, smiling as he kissed the top of my head.

"I'll see you later Bella. Have fun at school."

I rolled my eyes.

"Have fun stitching up the wounded."

He grinned.

"I usually do.

He got back in my truck and I watched him drive off before turning and heading in.

_Time to face the music._

* * *

See? Toldja there'd be another author note down here. im nothing if not consistent. No philosophical question this time though. i gotta brainstorm. oh, wait, my brain is fast. lol. i got one!  
Philosophical question #4!:  
So, say you work with someone over the summer. You totally fall for them. you write them a letter professing your feelings. they say nothing! (that, to me, seems extremely cold) Not that you've actually seen them since said letter was handed off, and you never saw their reaction to said letter, but the fact remains. Now, as summer approaches, you find yourself jobless and considering returning to the same job you had last summer because the economy sucks and no where else is likley to be hiring. But you have already heard from a friend that they'll be back too. everyday you see them at work will be a reminder of how they treated you. it has the potential to be epicly stressful for both people. so what do you do?

doncha just love these epic questions?  
alrightly, make me smile by reviewing, or i will hunt you down and throw my 20 pound cat at you. pudge may look like a baby but he can be very scary. especially when he's hiding under the bed.  
hasta!  
-Kristi/Big Red/Red/Girly/The Philosopher/all other lovely nicknames i have obviously forgotten. :)


	16. Chapter 16

AN!:Hey guys! Sorry. As usual, school dominates my life. silly college. Anywho, i'm working at my bro's bookshop and since it's a small place it doesn't get a ton of business which means i had the time to type this out for you. I hope you like it, and it should make a lot of you happy. We'll see when i get all of your lovely reviews. enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 16

I had to agree with Carlisle. There definitely was a god, and he was on my side today. Both Jessica and Mike were out of school with the flu. They probably wouldn't be back all week, so they wouldn't be able to give me the 3rd degree on why I was out the week before.

I made it all the way to 4th period with nothing more than curious stares from the other students, but Angela was in my English class, and she was waiting patiently when I walked in. As soon as I sat down I remembered why I had always liked her better. She wasn't pushy. Angela was quiet and extremely perceptive. Jessica meant well, but she was loud and pretty oblivious.

It wasn't until the teacher let us talk amongst ourselves at the end of class that she looked over at me expectantly.

I sighed.

"Go ahead. Ask your questions."

She smiled, but spoke quietly, knowing I wanted to keep my life out of the limelight.

"What happened last week? No one knew why you were gone. I called your house but Chief Swan said you weren't going to be home for a few days."

I bit my lip as I decided what I should and shouldn't tell her. She may be friends with Jessica and Mike, but she was extremely trustworthy. I went with the truth.

"Ang, you know I wasn't doing so well…"

She nodded. I continued.

"Well, I collapsed after work on Wednesday and hit my head, which knocked me out. Luckily Carlisle, Edward's dad, had been down for a visit and he was looking for me. He found me and took care of me. I've been at his house for the past four days so he could monitor me. I managed to give myself a concussion."

She looked concerned.

"Are you okay now?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It really wasn't that serious. No stitches or anything."

"Then why were you at Dr. Cullen's all weekend?"

I managed to suppress a blush and replied, "Well, I haven't seen him or any of the Cullens since they left, and he can't stay forever. I guess we both wanted to make the most of the little time we have." I sighed.

She looked at me curiously.

"You seem close."

I nodded.

"He came to see me after Edward said goodbye. He apologized for his son. He didn't want to leave me here. And after he left I was okay for a while, but then I got worse. I don't know if you remember."

She looked at me sadly

"I remember, but you got better again, before getting even worse."

"Yeah. Carlisle got my e-mail address and we started talking again, but Edward was going to come home from his boarding school, and since he forbade all contact with me, we had to stop talking. That's when I got worse."

"Your wellbeing seems to depend upon Dr. Cullen." She said curiously.

I rolled my eyes.

"It's not like that."

She grinned.

"I never said it was. Guilty conscience, Bella?"

I shoved her lightly, declining to respond, which only served to make her laugh.

"I never thought you'd go for a married man."

"He's actually not married. Well, he is, but not for much longer. He and Esme are getting a divorce." I said, and then smacked myself mentally as I saw her grin.

"You really do like him, don't you?"

"No," I said quickly. "Of course not. He's Edward's dad. He's 12 years older than me."

"It sounds like you're over Edward. And my parents are 10 years apart. Age isn't really a big deal these days."

"I know, but that's not the point. There's nothing happening here."

"Do you want there to be?"

"Of course not," I said as the bell rang. "I'll see you later, okay? I need to get my book for 5th period."

"I'll go with you. I need to drop off my book from 3rd in my locker anyway."

I nodded and we both started walking towards the main hall. We made it halfway when my cell rang. I grinned when I looked at the caller-id, and flipped the phone open.

"Hey Carlisle," I said, shooing Angela away before she could start back in on the teasing.

"He Bella," He said happily. "How is school going?"

"It's bearable, but I still don't think calculus will ever be useful."

He laughed.

"I have to agree with you. I've never used it, and I've had a lot longer to find a use for it."

"Exactly. So, why the call? Miss me already?"

"Most definitely. I think I'm having withdrawals."

"Lucky you're at a hospital. How's that going by the way? Having fun?"

"Of course. They're only too happy to have me back. They've been pretty short staffed lately. It's still not the same as patching you up though."

"Well, shall I fall down the stairs then? That'd be a win-win for both of us."

"Don't even think about it."

"Then you should just come pick me up. My last two classes are useless and Angela Webber is driving me insane." I finished with a smirk as Angela walked over to my locker where I was standing, having already switched my books.

She glared at me playfully and we headed back to the cafeteria.

"I wish I could Bella," He said. "But they want me to work an actual shift, so I can't really leave whenever I want."

"Yes you can," I scoffed. "Just dazzle them. You're good at that."

He chuckled.

"I dazzle you?"

"Frequently. It's very obnoxious."

"Well, I shall have to endeavor to do better in the future."

"Good. I don't really need another opportunity to fall and injure myself."

"Good point, Well, I should let you get back. You need to eat."

"You're cute when you're worried."

"Thank you. Now go, or I'll invite Angela over for dinner."

"You wouldn't. You love me too much."

"Try me."

"Fine, fine. I'll go eat. See you after school?"

"Unless you're planning on walking."

"Very funny. Don't be late."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Okay. Bye Carlisle. And thanks for calling. It should help me trudge along through the rest of the day."

"Good. Bye Bella."

I hung up the phone with a smile on my face until I noticed the grin on Angela's.

"Don't even start." I threatened her with a glare.

"Oh come on Bella. You expect me to believe nothing is happening after a conversation like that?"

"Yep."

She rolled her eyes, but didn't say another word. She probably had a point about the phone call. We didn't exactly converse like friends would, but then again we were more than just friends in a sense. Not the sense Angela was convinced of, but regardless. A lot of times I felt closer to Carlisle than I ever did with Edward. Could there really be something there though?

I thought things through slowly. He had come over the night Edward said goodbye and held me in his arms to help me sleep. I'd felt safer than I ever had. He left his jacket and I'd clung to it like a life raft, reveling in his scent. I'd loved joking with him in those e-mails, and when topics got serious he understood me completely, and he never judged. And then he came back and took care of me, taught me how to throw a baseball, shared a lot of personal things with me.

I couldn't question it. We were so much closer than Edward and I had ever been. But did that mean that I had feelings for him? For the father of my ex-boyfriend?

I thought about the hug before school, and the phone call. I thought about how comfortable I was around him and how I felt lying in his arms at night.

I knew it right then. I did love him, and it felt as natural as breathing to admit it.

I looked up at Angela, who had been watching me reason with myself the whole time.

"Ang," I said. "I think I'm in love with him."

She just smiled and shook her head.

"I told you so…"

* * *

Alrighty. There you go. Bella loves Carlisle. But, will they admit i?t Stay tuned for more twilight drama and romance from yours truly. Hopefully i'll get a chapter out tomorrow morning or tonight. one of those. I love your reviews. they make me smile like a little kid standing in front of the world's largest chocolate cake. mmm. chocolate cake. damn. i could go for some of that. My grandma makes goooood chocolate cake too. Is that like a universal truth that all grandmas are amazing cooks?  
In fact, that's going to be philisophical question #4.5.  
Are all grandmas amazing cooks? Because mine totally is. even her applesauce is amazing. seriously. applesauce. lol.  
Alright. i anxiously await your reviews. I love you all. Have a lovely day!


	17. Chapter 17

AN!:Hey guys, this is a short one. I'd put it together with the next portion, but it's late, i'm tired, and my back is killing me. i need a chiropractor. oh well. anywho, i hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Chapter 17

Coincidentally both me and Angela had the same 6th period as well, so we ended up walking out together into the parking lot. Immediately I started scanning the parking lot for my ride, but was interrupted by Angela's hand tugging on my sleeve.

"Hey Bella? Your knight in shining armor is waiting for you."

I looked to where she was pointing and inhaled sharply. Leaning against his Mercedes casually, Carlisle smiled over at me. God he was gorgeous. Half the fashion designers in the world would kill to have him as a model. As it was, he made his jeans, t-shirt and my old jacket look like something you would see on the runways in Paris.

Angela sighed from beside me.

"Bella, you have all the luck."

I grinned.

"Careful Ang. Don't want to make Ben jealous."

She rolled her eyes and shoved me lightly towards the blonde waiting for me.

"Get out of here. You shouldn't keep someone like that waiting."

I smiled.

"I know. I'll see you tomorrow Ang."

"Bye Bella." She called as I walked down the steps.

Carlisle never moved, even as I stopped and stood right in front of him.

'"Did you have to dazzle the entire parking lot?" I asked, shaking my head.

He grinned.

"Feeling possessive?"

I stuck my tongue out.

"I don't like to share."

He chuckled.

"Then it's a good thing you don't have to."

Leaning down, he kissed my cheek and then turned and opened my door for me.

I smiled.

"Chivalry isn't dead?"

He got in the car next to me and looked over at me.

"No, it's just very very old."

Laughing, I shoved him lightly.

"You're not old, you're 30 remember?"

He pulled out of the parking lot with a roll of his eyes.

"Ah. I forgot. I am supposed to be 30 years old, aren't I…"

"Well, as far as this town is concerned anyway. As far as I'm concerned you're still 23"

He raised an eyebrow

"Why, may I ask?"

I looked at him contemplatively before finally settling on an answer.

"You seem younger, freer around me than you used to. Like you never had to endure all of those centuries alone."

His jaw dropped slightly, leaving his mouth open in an expression that looked like surprise.

"What?" I asked curiously, watching his expression as he turned to look at me.

"You're right." He said softly, reaching over to hold my hand in his.

I smiled and squeezed gently.

"Of course I'm right."

He laughed, and in a surprising move, lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it. We continued on down the road like that for some time, oblivious to everything else. But, like all good things, it came to an abrupt end when my cell rang.

I looked at him apologetically as I answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Bella! You are so lucky Chief Swan has been at the station all day. If he'd been on patrol you would be so busted!"

"What are you talking about Ang?"

"I'm talking about the sexy doctor you were practically making out with on the main road a few minutes ago."

"It's not what you think."

"Come on Bella. Be honest."

"I am being honest. I'll see you tomorrow Ang. You can grill me then."

I ended the call and put my cell back in my pocket. When I looked back up at Carlisle, he had a smirk on his face.

I groaned.

"You heard everything, didn't you?"

He nodded.

I blushed, completely embarrassed, and muttered, "Stupid vampire hearing."

He chuckled.

"It's okay Bella. I remember what teenagers are like. It's not a big deal, and I can imagine what that must have looked like."

I nodded and then looked at Carlisle's watch.

"I have about 10 minutes before I'm late to work."

He sighed,

"What am I going to do for the next couple of hours?"

I shrugged.

"Hang out with Charlie? Call your family? Read another book?"

He seemed to contemplate each of those before resigning.

"Alright. I'll find something to do."

I smiled.

"You look like a little boy whose favorite toy is being taken away. It's only for a couple hours. And I don't work tomorrow."

He sighed dramatically.

"Fine. Have fun taking cars apart then."

"I will," I said with a grin. "Now let's go. You're gonna make me late."

He smirked.

"Then I guess I'll have to drive in record time."

I groaned.

"I'd really love to get there in one piece."

He grinned.

"You will."

He turned his eyes back to the road, pushing his foot down onto the pedal until the Mercedes hit about 80mph. I was at the shop in 38 seconds. I counted so I'd stop concentrating on exactly how fast Carlisle was driving.

We both got out of the car and he walked me over to the door.

"Four hours?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Four hours. I promise."

I leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Go hang out with Charlie. He needs someone to watch the baseball game with."

He nodded and started walking away before calling over his shoulder, "Watch out for the power tools."

I rolled my eyes.

_Stupid vampire. Stupid perfect vampire…_

_

* * *

_Alright. There it is. I don;t think theres any typos, but if you find some, you know the drill. oh man, my back really is killing me, so i'm going to keep this short.  
I wanted to thank all of you again for all of the review you leave me. Someone reviewed on the last chapter and remarked that i'd probably be at 500 reviews by the next chapter. i thought they were kidding. I went and looked and i was completely shocked to discover that i really was at 400 reviews. I was literally blown away. i never actually thought that this story, especially with a pairing like this that really doesn't have much of a fan base, would be so appreciated by so many. i really can't thank you guys enough. i'm not religious, but i consider myself blessed to have all of you as reviewers and readers. i love writing and i love reading all of my reviews even more.  
Hmmm, i meant to keep that short. oh well. thank you all again. and please keep up the reviews. they make my day!


	18. Chapter 18

AN!:Alright. It's really early, or late. idk what you call 4am. lol. but anyway, i wanted to crack out another chapter before i have to hit the books all week again. sadly school does own my life. it's very sad. Well, enjoy the chapter, and please review!

* * *

Chapter 18

I waited until Bella was inside the garage before starting my car and driving away.

_What on earth am I going to do for the next four hours?_

Remembering Bella's suggestions, I pulled over and pulled out my phone. I wanted to check in with my family, and I wanted to tell Esme the truth about where I was. She deserved to know, and Edward rarely probed her mind, so it wouldn't be risky to tell her. I wanted to tell everyone, but Emmett and Rosalie were not nearly as good at blocking Edward out.

I dialed our new number in Alaska. Alice picked up on the first ring.

"Carlisle!"

I chuckled.

"Alice. How is everyone?"

"Good. Jasper has been in an annoyingly happy mood all day. You should ditch out on us more often."

"Glad to hear that everyone misses me."

She laughed lightly.

"Don't worry. We all miss you. Well, Emmett just bought a flat screen and an XBOX 360, so he doesn't miss you, but everyone else does. We'd thrash Tanya's coven in baseball much more impressively if we had you hitting for us again."

"Esme let Emmett buy another videogame system? If she wasn't immortal I'd say she has a death wish."

"Believe me. I know. Em has roped Jazz into it as usual. They've been playing for 12 hours straight. Rose is not happy. How is Bella?"

"Much better. She's eating heartily, and her sleeping habits have improved slightly."

"No kidding. You can't stay forever Carlisle."

"I should've known you'd see that. You know the reasoning as well as I do."

"I'm not a magic 8 ball."

"Sorry Alice. I am trying to wean her off of me so to speak, but nothing seems to work. She needs to sleep if she's going to become healthy again, so I'm doing what I can but so far she just can't manage without me."

"Interesting."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Why do I feel like you know something I don't?"

"Because I do. Don't bother asking though. I'll win."

I rolled my eyes.

"On that note, is Esme there?"

"Yeah. I'll get her. Don't worry, she'll take the truth well."

I listened as Alice called Esme to the phone and smiled slightly when I heard her voice.

"Carlisle," She said, and from the tone of her voice I knew she was smiling.

"Esme. How are you?"

"Good. I'm good. How about you? How is the conference? Boring as usual?"

"About that. I'm afraid I wasn't entirely truthful to you Esme, and I'm sorry about that."

"What are you talking about? Where are you?"

"Forks."

"Why Carlisle?"

"That night, Bella had been nearly catatonic when I arrived to check on her before we were to leave. I was worried, so I sent an e-mail to Charlie inquiring after her after we'd settles in. He wrote back the next day. Apparently she hasn't been sleeping or eating, and she refused to talk to anyone about us or Edward. I wasn't going to come, but Alice had a vision of Bella dying. I had to go. I would have told you the truth in the beginning, but Edward was supposed to be home any day. I didn't want you to have to lie to our son about my whereabouts."

"I understand Carlisle. I'm glad you went. How is Bella? Is she alright?"

"She is now. She wasn't when I got here. Another few days and Alice's vision might have come true."

"Oh Carlisle. What happened? Why did things get so bad?"

"She was in love with him Esme, and he broke her heart. It's not unheard of, dying of a broken heart. I've seen it once or twice before. They simply lose the will to live."

"Oh, that poor girl. We should never have left. She must hate us."

"On the contrary. She understands that leaving was the only way to keep the family together."

"That is an extraordinary human. How Edward could have left her is quite beyond me."

"I feel the same way, and I'm reluctant to leave her here alone again."

"I wish you could bring her to Alaska, or we could move back to Forks. I miss Bella very much."

"I know. You always did consider her to be your daughter."

"I still do. When that boy gets home I am going to talk some sense into him."

I chuckled.

"Believe me, I would love nothing more than that, but I don't want him coming to Forks until Bella is well again. She could relapse if she seems him too soon."

"Well, I don't like it, bit I trust your judgment. How long are you staying in Forks?"

"As long as it takes assuming nothing happens at home."

"If something happens, I'll take care of it. You stay put and take care of Bella."

"Yes ma'am." I said with a chuckle.

She sighed.

"I'd better go detach Emmett and Jasper from their new XBOX."

"Good luck with that."

"Thanks." She said wryly. "And thank you for telling me the truth Carlisle. You'll call me if anything changes?"

"Of course."

"Okay. I'll talk to you later then."

"Alright. Bye Esme."

"Bye Carl."

I groaned as I hung up the phone. She knew I hated being called Carl, and never ceased to tease me about it. One of the hospital administrators I worked for 30 or 40 years ago had decided that Carlisle was just too many syllables and shortened it. And much to my annoyance, I still haven't heard the end of it.

Rolling my eyes I turned the car back on and pulled out onto the road again.

_Time to move on to Bella's next suggestion. Hopefully baseball hasn't changed much since the 1920's…_

_

* * *

_Alright. And there is chapter 18. Sorry i don't actually have a philisophical question for you. I'll think one up for the next chapter. promise. thanks for all the good health wishes for my back. it's a little better actually. your reviews are magic. :)  
Well, just like always, i love getting your reviews, and i would be overjoyed to keep getting them. Thanks for reading!  
Cheers!  
-(insert all epic nicknames here...)


	19. Chapter 19

AN!:Hey guys! a chapter during the week! it's a miracle! i wasn't going to finish typing it out tonight either, because my back sucks again, but i just kept on truckin. this chapter might not pertain to the plot, but it gets serious after this, so hold tight. enjoy the chapter! and please review!

* * *

Chapter 19

Bella walked into Dowling's garage with a smile on her face.

"Hey John." She said, spying his legs sticking out from under an old Ford SUV.

He rolled out to wave at her.

"Hey Bella. You're in a good mood today."

She grinned.

"It was a good day. So, what are we doing today? Anything I can help with?" he rolled back under the car.

"I could use a flathead screwdriver."

She rolled her eyes, but grabbed one off of the tool shelf and handed it down to him.

"Anything else?"

"No actually. There's an oil change coming in in a few minutes and a set of new tires after that, but that's it. I'm gonna close up early today."

"Cool. Can I do the oil change?"

He chuckled from underneath the car.

"Aching to get dirty? You sure you're a girl?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Charlie thinks it's hilarious. Besides I want to feel useful. You usually take care of the tires on your own, so I figured I'd claim the oil change."

"Well, I'll let you be the one who gets covered in grease then, but you're gonna help with the tires too. We'll see how much you've learned."

Bella grinned.

"Cool."

John finished up with the Ford just as the Volkswagen rolled in for the oil change. Dowling went in the office to do some quick paperwork while she worked, knowing that she knew what she was doing. It was no time at all before she rolled back out and gave John the thumbs up. He walked out to finish up the paperwork with the driver while Bella set up for the tire change.

Right when she finished, John drove a big Chevy truck onto the lift.

When he got out of the truck he looked over at her.

"Ready Bella?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

He pulled out a stopwatch with a grin.

She rolled her eyes.

"You watch too much NASCAR."

He shrugged.

"Probably, but that's beside the point."

"Alright," She said, taking her place at the first time. "I'm ready."

"Okay, on your mark, get set, go!"

She raced around the truck, zipping the bolts off and hefting the new tires up onto the wheels; an impressive feat considering her meager amount of strength. Putting the bolts back on was as easy as getting them off, and as soon as she had the last one back on she set the drill down and shouted "Done!".

John clicked the stopwatch and looked up at her with a smile.

"Well?" She asked impatiently. "How'd I do?"

"3 minutes and 23 seconds."

"Is that good?"

Her boss laughed.

"You changed 4 tires out in considerably less than five minutes. That's damn good. Too bad you don't like NASCAR. You could have a future there."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"You're only saying that because you want a behind the scenes pass."

He gave her an innocent look.

"I don't know what you're talking about kid."

She snorted in disbelief.

"Sure…"

He just shook his head.

"Give me a minute to finish up in the office and then we can close up shop."

"Sure."

Bella walked back over to the Chevy to inspect her handiwork. If you'd told her last summer that she was going to be capable of anything that had to do with cars or power tools she would have doubted your sanity. Not anymore.

She grinned as she caught her reflection in the window of the truck. There was a rather impressive smudge of grease on her cheek. She shrugged it off figuring that nothing short of a shower would get it off.

A couple minutes later, Dowling walked out of the office and moved the truck out of the garage while Bella put away the rest of the tools. She knew she should have called Carlisle already, but waiting for him to show up wouldn't kill her.

"Hey Bella," John said as he walked back in. "Where's your truck?"

"At home. I had a friend drop me off. I'll have to call him and tell him that he's gonna have to pick me up a little early."

"Well, if you don't have a problem with it, I wouldn't mind giving you a life. You're on my way after all."

Bella grinned.

"Thanks John."

He shrugged.

"It's no problem." He tossed her the keys. "Why don't you go warm up the jeep while I lock up."

She smiled.

"Sure thing boss."

15 minutes later and Bella was hopping out of the jeep at her house, thanking John who just waved her away. She spotted Carlisle's car immediately and grinned, almost running to the front door. She opened it as quietly as she could and snuck into the living room where Charlie and Carlisle were both perched forward on the sofa shouting loudly towards the flat screen "go go go!". When the runner slid safely into home plate, they both cheered and high-fived enthusiastically.

Bella's snort of laughter alerted them to her presence as they both looked up in surprise. She raised an eyebrow slightly towards Carlisle, who smiled sheepishly as Charlie spoke.

"Hey Bells. You're home early."

She nodded.

"Yeah. There wasn't much to do. Just an oil change and a set of new tires. I was going to call, but John gave me a ride."

Charlie nodded and went back to watching the game, but Carlisle stood and walked over to her with a grin.

"What?" She asked warily, eyeing that grin.

He just chuckled and shook his head as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the grease smudge on her cheek.

"Oh," She said, a light blush gracing her cheeks. "Thanks."

"No problem, but I'm afraid that didn't help much." He said, gesturing to the grease that covered her shirt and arms,

She looked down.

"Good point."

She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a towel, wetting it in the sink and scrubbing harshly at the smeared oil.

A cold hand covered hers.

"Let me." He said with a smile.

She nodded and let him take the washcloth from her, gently rubbing her arms in slow circles. Minutes later she was perfectly clean once again. She took the washcloth back and kissed his cheek lightly.

"Thanks." She said as she walked into the laundry room and tossed the towel and her work shirt into a pile of dirty laundry, leaving her in only a tank top as she walked back into the living room. Carlisle was ready for her though. He held out his old white jacket to her as she sat down in between him and Charlie on the couch. She smiled and pulled it on before settling comfortably into Carlisle's side.

With him explaining each play to her, watching the game wasn't nearly as painfully boring as usual. In no time at all, the Mariners had narrowly pulled out a victory in the 12th inning.

After the game Charlie said goodnight to both of them and excused himself as he had work in the morning as usual. Carlisle thanked him for letting him come over and watch the game, which Charlie waved off sheepishly, before making a show of heading towards the door.

Bella rolled her eyes as they said their temporary farewells, and by the time she'd turned off the lights and headed upstairs to her room Carlisle was there waiting for her.

She rolled her eyes.

"You couldn't even wait for Charlie to go to bed?"

The blonde paused, listening, before grinning.

"He's already asleep. You were saying?"

Bella just shook her head.

"You're impossible. I need to change." She said, grabbing a pair of pajama pants. "I'll be back in a minute."

He nodded and waited patiently as she went to the bathroom and came back. She turned off the light as she walked back in and made her way to the bed cautiously before pulling back the covers and getting in next to Carlisle. He wrapped his arms around her as she got comfortable and soon she was slowly drifting off, but before she fell asleep, she looked up at Carlisle and said, "We need to talk about this."

He raised an eyebrow.

"About what Bella?"

"Us. Or whatever this is." She muttered sleepily.

"Tomorrow." He said calmly. "I promise."

She nodded and was sleeping soundly only moments later, but Carlisle was completely alert, and more nervous than he would ever let on.

He was truly afraid for the first time in many years. Bella had come to mean a great deal to him, and tomorrow in the course of a single conversation, all of that could be lost.

_Well, maybe not all of it…_

Bella was a part of his family, and even if she doesn't return his feelings, it wouldn't change that. He would remain the man who took care of her with unyielding compassion.

He continued to watch her sleep, waiting for her chocolate eyes to open again. Waiting for her to need him again. Waiting for the opportunity to help her again. Because that was the only way he could love her right now, and he was definitely not going to waste it.

* * *

Okay, there it is. it's about to get good. the next few chapters are pretty intense in my opinion. i'll try and get em out this weekend so you have something to review. have i mentioned that i love your reviews? because i totally do. They are my own personal brand of heroine. (yep, i just quoted twilight on you guys. go ahead. tell me i'm lame. i will not argue. lol.)  
hasta! :)


	20. Chapter 20

AN!: Hey guys! Sorry i didn't have this out yesterday. i probably should've but i'm in major preparation mode. i"m going snowboarding manana and i'm super excited. I've been lining up people and rides all week. It should be good. 16 inches of fresh snow last time i checked.  
Anyway, this chapter starts all the drama and tenseness that i promised. I hope you like it. I'll keep working on the next few chapters. hopefully i can get the next one up sunday night. cheers!

* * *

Chapter 20

True to my word, I cooked Bella breakfast the next morning. She seemed grateful, but I knew she remembered what she had said last night before she fell asleep, and she knew I remembered as well. She was quiet for the most part, almost distant.

Over the past few days I had been close to Bella, and probably too affectionate in retrospect, but she never stopped me. She never seemed uncomfortable with my words and actions. She joked right back with me. Perhaps I had just gone too far. Maybe I'd given myself away. Maybe she knew about my feelings for her, and since she didn't return them she felt it necessary to cute me loose so to speak.

This was such a new experience for me. Esme had never given me any doubt. I had never been worried or nervous. Maybe it never meant as much to me. Perhaps I was so nervous now because Bella had truly become my life.

I couldn't stop the hopeless thoughts from running across my mind as I began to mourn the loss that I knew was impending, but I wouldn't let Bella see how much this was affecting me. I would remain calm as always for it was what was expected of me. It was what had always been expected of me…

* * *

I woke up in his arms just like I had the day before. Without thinking I started going through my usual routine of showering and getting dressed when I remembered.

I spent five minutes just standing there, not moving, as I realized what I'd done. Why oh why did I mumble those two sentences? Why couldn't I leave things the way they were? Why couldn't I stop ruining everything?

I said very little as I walked out of the bathroom and even less as I ate the beautiful breakfast he'd made for me. I did thank him, but it wasn't as enthusiastic as it should have been.

I was afraid. Afraid of what he would say when we finally did talk. And we would talk. There was no other option. I had made our relationship the awkward thing that it was now, and it would never go back to the fun and carefree way that it had once been.

I knew in my heart that I loved him, but I was also sure that he did not return my feelings. He had just recently ended a 60 year relationship with Esme, and even if he was ready to love again, I wouldn't be the person he fell for. I was 18 and I had just dated his son. I wasn't his kind, and as I wasn't dying there would be no reason for that to change anytime soon.

All of the jokes and hugs and kisses and nights together were just him being the compassionate man he'd always been. I had no right to expect anything more. He loved me like a daughter, not like a girlfriend.

He drove me to school just like he had the day before, but this time no words were spoken between us. He drove speed limit, and it felt like it took forever, but he finally pulled into the parking lot at Forks High and got out of the car. Taking a deep breath, I followed suit and walked over to stand in front of him.

He spoke first.

"I'll pick you up after school and then we can take that tour of the hospital?"

I was surprised, having completely forgotten about it, but I nodded quickly.

"Sure."

He held my gaze steadily.

"And then afterwards we can talk."

I sighed but agreed.

"Okay."

"Alright. Try not to have too much fun at school without me."

I grinned, the first smile I'd shown all morning.

"I promise."

Remembering the talk we were going to have tonight, I leaned in and hugged him as tightly as I could. I wanted to get one last memory of being in his arms before everything changed. He put his arms around me and hugged back gently, letting me have my moment, but eventually people started staring and despite how much I really didn't care what they thought, I did have to get to class. My chemistry teacher was not very forgiving.

I let go of him, saying a quick goodbye and heading off to my first class before he saw me cry. No matter how much I wanted to be back in his arms as he comforted me, I had to hold it together. I had to stay string. Losing it now was not an option.

I wiped the moisture out of my eyes and grit my teeth as I headed into class.

_I can do this. I have to._

When 4th period rolled around, Angela was waiting for me at our desk as usual, an anxious look on her face. I sighed. I'd forgotten the promise I'd made to her yesterday. This was not turning out to be a good day.

Luckily we had a test that took the entire class period, so there was no ability to talk, but lunch came next and I had no real escape there. She started asking questions as soon as we left the classroom.

"So, what happened yesterday? Why were you all wrapped up in your greek god? How far did it go? I need details."

I looked at her and sighed.

"Not today Ang. Please not today."

She looked startled before she caught the look on my face.

"What's wrong Bella? What happened?"

Her concern cracked the thin walls I'd managed to put up and I felt the moisture return to my eyes. Not wanting to be seen, I grabbed her hand and dragged her outside.

For a few minutes I didn't speak or look at her, just trying to keep my breathing under control. When I finally felt like I could handle talking, I looked up at her with a weak smile. She took that as my signal to her to start asking her questions. She started small.

"Is it about Dr. Cullen?"

I nodded.

She continued.

"What happened? Everything seemed okay yesterday."

"That's because everything was okay yesterday. And then I ruined everything."

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"Last night. He was hanging out with me and Charlie watching the game and I fell asleep on his shoulder after Charlie had gone upstairs. Before I fell asleep completely though, I told him that I wanted to talk about us; what we were to each other. I didn't mean to say it. It just slipped out. We're going to talk after school."

"That's good though, isn't it?"

I looked at her in exasperation.

"How can it possibly be good? Ang, he's going to tell me that he doesn't love me. And he'll probably do it so gently that I won't even be able to be mad at him for letting me fall for him in the first place."

Angela reached out and squeezed my hand.

"Bella, you don't know that for sure. How do you know that he doesn't feel the same?"

I rolled my eyes.

"He's Edward's dad. I know him pretty well. All of the things that have happened, the way he's helped me, that's just his compassion. He was just being nice."

"I still don't think so. Nice guys don't kiss their son's ex-girlfriends, or pick them up from school. There's something there."

"I want to believe you, but I just can't."

Angela sighed.

"Well, what do you think will happen then?"

I shook my head.

"I'm not sure. I don't know how the conversation will go. But if I'm right, everything is going to change. I'll lose him."

"You know my opinion, but even if you're right I doubt you'll lose Dr. Cullen."

"If I don't it still won't be sunshine and puppies. He's such a sweet guy. He'll keep on caring and for me it'll be like holding candy in front of a baby."

Angela sighed.

"I understand. Well, I still believe that he loves you too. We won't know the truth until tonight though. Don't lose hope Bella."

I nodded.

"Okay. Thanks Ang. Let's get back inside."

She hugged me quickly and then led the way back in to the cafeteria. I followed her with a little more life in my step. I still couldn't believe what she said, but I wanted to, and maybe a little delusion would help me make it through the day...

* * *

Okay, 20 chapters. that's a heck of a milestone in my opinion. And the word count is unbelieveable for me too. And of course the reviews. it's around 545 already. I really can't thank you guys enough. I hope you guys still like it despite all the drama that will ensue. anyways, please review! and pm me if you have any questions.  
Hasta!


	21. Chapter 21

AN!: Hi guys! sorry about the wait. i suck. i really do. i said i'd get a chapter out after my road trip to the snow on sunday, but i totally did not realize exactly how tiring it would be to play in the snow. I just zonked out. but here is the next chapter. enjoy.

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Chapter 21

"Ready for your tour of the hospital?"

Bella looked up at the blonde as she stepped out of the Mercedes in front of Forks General.

"Is this a bad time to tell you that blood makes me nauseous?"

He looked at her in surprise.

"Really?"

She nodded grimly.

"It's the smell."

"Bella, humans can't smell blood."

"I can. It's rust and salt and every time I smell it my stomach goes crazy."

He shook his head.

"Good thing we'll be in a hospital then. No chance of blood there." He said wryly.

She shoved his shoulder lightly.

"Well, you'll notice the smell before I do. Just steer me away."

He frowned.

"The immunities I've built up have taken away my ability to smell human blood. You'll be the one to smell it first." He pulled the scarf from around his neck. "Here. When you start to smell blood, put this up to your nose."

"Okay," She nodded, taking the scarf. "Why do you think I can smell blood?"

He shook his head.

"I'm not sure. Everything about you is rather fascinating actually. I can't find an explanation though."

She grinned up at him.

"Something finally has you stumped, huh?"

He smirked.

"Or someone."

He led her in the hospital through the front doors.

"So," He said. "You've seen the lobby before no doubt."

"Several times." She joked.

He rolled his eyes.

"I'm assuming you're not exactly taken by the thought of paperwork?"

She wrinkled her nose.

"Definitely not."

He smiled.

"I didn't think so. That knocks off a few job options."

They walked past the front desk towards the patient rooms in the back. Carlisle led her to the nurses' station, where a leggy redhead hopped up from her chair to stand at his side.

"Dr. Cullen," She said, batting her eyelashes. "I thought your shift ended an hour ago."

"Rebecca." He said with a nod in her direction. "This is Bella. I'm showing her around the hospital."

Rebecca flashed a brilliant smile in his direction.

"Aw. That's so sweet of you to show the kids around, especially since you're only here for a little while. Are you sure you can't stay?"

He shook his head.

"My family is in California."

Bella watched as she flirtatiously put a hand on his arm.

"But you'll visit often, won't you? We're going to miss you around here."

Carlisle reached over and put his arm around Bella's waist.

"That's actually why I'm here." He said. "I came to visit Bella."

Rebecca removed her hand from Carlisle's arm quickly.

"Oh. Well, don't let me keep you from your tour."

She took her seat at the nurses' station again without sparing the pair a second glance.

Bella stifled a laugh as they continued down the hall.

He looked over at her with a grin on his face.

"Something funny Bella?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Only if you count what you did to that poor nurse."

He shook his head.

"She'll be fine. Rebecca knew she didn't actually have a chance. I think it's just her goal to flirt shamelessly with me every time she sees me. She used to even when I was still married."

Bella's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Seriously?"

He nodded.

"No matter how many times I would talk about Esme, she still clung on to me every time she saw me. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but it's very tiresome after a while."

She nodded.

"I can understand that. She's a nurse, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Just crossing another career off of my list."

Carlisle smiled.

"Good. You want to see the emergency room? That's where I work most of the time."

"Sure. Lead the way."

With a hand placed on the small of her back, Carlisle led her to the doors of the emergency room before pausing and eying her warily.

"You still have the scarf?"

She nodded, pulling it out of her pocket and holding it tightly.

He turned back and opened the door.

"Stay close to me."

Bella reached forward and grabbed his hand, which he squeezed reassuringly as he walked in to the ER. The atmosphere was crazy, more so than was usual for a small town like Forks.

Immediately a blonde woman caught sight of Carlisle and ran over.

"Dr. Cullen! Thank God you're still here. We had a 3 car pile-up on the interstate and Dr. Snow's shift doesn't start for another hour. Dr. Gerandy is in Trauma 1, but we have 3 more critical patients waiting for surgery. Can you scrub in?"

"Of course. Can you take Bella to the observation room while I prep?"

"Sure. Follow me." She said, leading Bella down the hall and into a room that looked down on an empty trauma room.

She left her there without a word as she ran back down to where Carlisle was pulling scrubs on and getting ready for surgery. Minutes later Carlisle and the blonde woman came jogging in with a gurney between them. Bella could hear everything they were saying from the observation room where she sat, completely drawn in.

"Give me the details." Carlisle said calmly as he assessed the damage done to the victim.

The blonde woman spoke up.

"Victim was in the passenger seat when the car was hit. There was a piece of the car's framework in his leg, but the paramedics removed it. The engine blew before the firefighters could get him out as well, so there are 3rd degree burns covering about 45% of his body, as well as multiple pieces of shrapnel in his abdomen."

Carlisle nodded.

"We'll need to contain the bleeding in the leg so we can get the metal out of his abdomen before it starts causing problems with his internal organs. We don't have time for x-rays, so I'll do my best. Have someone run a vial up to blood typing and bring back a few bags in case he needs a transfusion."

The blonde woman nodded and relayed his instructions to the nurses that were running in and out of the trauma room.

Carlisle took control quickly and began closing up the leg before he dove into the abdomen, opening quickly and digging around carefully as he pulled out pieces of metal and plastic. Bella thought she would've been squeamish, but she wasn't able to look away. Apparently it was just the smell of blood that turned her stomach, not the sight of it.

In a remarkably short amount of time, Carlisle had finished up with the first patient and a second one with less serious injuries. When he finished closing the 2nd man, he stepped back and looked up, catching Bella's eye and motioning for her to meet him downstairs. She nodded and was at his side moments later.

Once again the blonde woman walked over to join them.

"Thanks for the help Dr. Cullen. Sorry for dragging you away." She said with a small smile.

Carlisle shook his head.

"It was no problem. Bella, this is Dr. Carrie Carpenter. She's an intern fresh out of med school."

Carrie shook her hand warmly.

"It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

Bella looked over at Carlisle with a raised eyebrow.

"Really?"

Carrie laughed.

"He's been taking about you all week. You'd think he didn't miss the rest of us."

Carlisle rolled his eyes.

"That's quite enough of that. You'd better get back to trauma 1. Dr. Gerandy could probably use a hand."

The younger doctor sighed.

"You're such a buzz kill. I'll see you tomorrow. Have fun on your tour."

"Nice to meet you." Bella said as she walked away.

Carlisle led Bella back into a quieter part of the hospital and then turned to look at her.

"So, how did you like the surgery?"

"It was fascinating. I thought I'd be grossed out, but I couldn't look away. It was really interesting."

He smiled at her warmly.

"Well, we might make a doctor out of you yet."

Bella grinned.

"It's definitely still on the list."

* * *

Okay, so i know it wasn't the chapter you're all waiting for, but i felt it needed to be stuck in here to kinda chill them both out a little before the epic convo, which will be taking place in the next chapter. i will definetly try to get that one out as soon as possible, because i know you guys are about ready to beat it out of me. lol.  
Anyway, i'll ttyl!  
-The author with many epic nicknames.


	22. Chapter 22

AN!:Hey guys, this is the chapter you've all been waiting for, s i'm gonna keep this extremely short. enjoy the chapter and please review!

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Chapter 22

Half an hour later, the two were back in the Mercedes driving down the highway, chatting aimlessly about the hospital and possible career paths for Bella when she caught sight of a sign on the road that she didn't recognize. She looked at Carlisle, confused.

"Where are we going?"

He smiled at her and spoke softly.

"Somewhere to talk."

Her heart plummeted.

"Oh. Right."

She turned her gaze back to the road, unable to look at him for fear that his compassionate gaze would bring forth the tears that she'd been fighting all day long.

Carlisle watched her features subtly change from the carefree attitude she'd had only moments ago to one of detached emotion. Her breathing had gotten shallower and faster as well. She seemed as upset as he was about this. He had enjoyed just being close to her without having to observe any lines or boundaries between them. But, he knew that those days of bliss wouldn't have lasted forever. He knew that this talk was likely overdue. He had begun treating her as he would a girlfriend or even a wife, and the fact remained that she was only supposed to be his friend.

He no longer had a beating heart, but what was left of it was sure to break into pieces as he resigned himself to his fate. He had to let Bella go, no matter how tightly he wanted to hold on. He would continue to love her though, even if it would only be as a friend, for despite how much it would hurt to see her and know that he couldn't truly have her, not seeing her at all would be a much darker fate.

He returned his gaze to the road as he led them both towards the place that would finally define their relationship…or destroy it.

Bella finally allowed herself a deep breath as she felt Carlisle's eyes leave her. Another few seconds would have been far too many.

She tried to put all her energy into figuring out where Carlisle was taking her, but her mind kept straying as she imagined the conversation that would take place there.

She wanted things to go back to the way they were. She wished she could take back the words she had never meant to utter out loud. Those innocent words would mean the end if a friendship that had brought her back to life after Edward had ripped out a piece of her heart and left her to wither away.

Their friendship, if they even still had one after today, would never be the same. Every word, every action, would now been seen as having an ulterior motive. Their motions would be careful; measured. The innocence of their closeness and friendship would be gone.

Bella knew Carlisle would never leave her or abandon her due to her feelings for him, but it would seem as though it would be better if he had. He would always be the compassionate man she had grown to love, and she would have to endure his kindness knowing that she would never have his love.

She sighed and went back to watching the road.

Minutes later Carlisle turned the car off the road and parked. Not seeing any visible trail, Bella groaned.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow.

"Problem?"

"No, but I'm guessing that this means you're running."

He smiled.

"Yes it does. Is that okay?"

She sighed dramatically.

"I guess. Just don't run me into a tree."

He chuckled.

"Of course not. Ready?"

She nodded as they both got out of the Mercedes and braced herself as he walked over to her side.

"Hold on tight." He said softly as he scooped her up and started running. She gripped the collar of his shirt tightly and leaned into the crook of his neck, breathing slowly as the wind whipped past her face. Wherever they were going, it was farther than usual.

Eventually Carlisle slowed down to a brisk jog, but when Bella looked up all she saw was trees.

"Where are we going?"

Carlisle smiled, but kept his eyes forward.

"We're almost there. Close your eyes."

True to his word, he stopped almost abruptly and moved her to his back so he could begin climbing. Bella felt the change in his gait but, trusting him, she kept her eyes shut.

Moments later he pulled his body up and over the cliff face and set her down gently. A cold hand covered her eyes before she could open them. She tried to wiggle away, but he just chuckled.

"Trust me Bella. We're almost there. Just a few more feet."

She sighed but complied, letting him lead her forward. A few seconds later he stopped and let go of her.

"Okay. Open your eyes."

Bella did as she was told, and what she saw took her breath away. She was on top of a huge cliff and she could see for miles in every direction. The sun was setting off in the distance and she reveled in actually being able to see it happen for the first time since she'd left Phoenix.

With a content smile, she turned to the man beside her.

"Carlisle…this place is amazing. How did you find it?"

He grinned.

"Well, let's just say that I'm the only one in the family who goes to the Newton's store for legitimate reasons. I found this place a month or two after we moved back to Forks. With the exception of Edward, no one else knows about it. I come here sometimes to think. I figured it was a fitting place for this conversation. I even brought a bench up here during my lunch break." He said, gesturing behind him, where a stone bench was sitting.

She furrowed her eyebrows.

"How did you get that up here?"

He chuckled.

"You don't want to know."

He led her over to the bench and they both sat down facing the sunset.

When Bella didn't make any attempt to speak, Carlisle did it for her.

"So…did you want to talk first, or shall I?"

Bella winced, but she spoke slowly.

"No. I need to say my piece before I lose the ability to speak at all."

She sighed, wondering where to begin.

_Where else but the beginning?_

His golden gaze was locked on her as she began to speak.

"When Edward left, I didn't think I would ever be okay again. H-he broke me into pieces. He had been my life, and he had said that I was his, but he still left me. He said that he couldn't live without me, but when I truly needed him to be there for me, he wasn't."

She looked up at Carlisle with a smile.

"You were. You were there when I thought that I wouldn't be able to function again let alone smile or laugh, and if I remember correctly you managed to get both out of me before you left that night."

Carlisle grinned as she continued.

"It sounds ridiculous, but your jacket helped me sleep for a month after you left. And then when it wasn't your jacket it was your e-mails. And now it's you in person. You gave me my life again. You gave me hope again. You helped me get over Edward. I can't thank you enough."

"You don't need to thank me Bella."

"Shush," She said, cutting him off. "I'm not done yet."

He chuckled, but conceded, gesturing for her to continue.

"Anyway," She said, giving him a playful glare. "You really did save me, and in the process you've become a really good friend. Probably the best friend I have."

Carlisle's still heart plummeted at her words, but he didn't let his emotions make their way to his face.

Bella started speaking quickly as she fought to get the most important part of her speech out before her throat closed completely.

"It's just…I sort of ended up with a problem. I didn't mean to. It just kind of happened. You've always been so nice to me, and I never wanted to take advantage of that, but I couldn't help it."

Carlisle grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Calm down Bella. What are you saying?"

She closed her eyed tightly and took a deep breath before looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"I…I fell in love with you. I'm sorry. I never meant to. I'll understand if you never want to speak to me again, and-"

She never got to finish her sentence. In one rapid move, Carlisle pulled her lips to his, effectively stunning her into silence.

When Bella realized what was happening, she let her self fall into the kiss, melting into his arms completely as they tightened around her.

She had only experienced one other first kiss, with Edward, and this one obliterated that one to completely that she wondered how she had even thought herself in love with him. With Edward there had been fireworks, but with Carlisle it was the 4th of July. There was a fire spreading through her veins and it had nothing to do with venom.

When he finally pulled away, she stared at him, her lips still parted.

"I…" She stuttered. "Really?"

He chuckled.

"Bella, I came back for you. My world revolves around you. How could you not know that I love you?"

She shook her head in wonder.

"I don't know? I guess I just expected to be shot down."

"And why exactly did you think I would be crazy enough to reject you?"

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

He smiled.

"Have you?"

She rolled here eyes and sighed happily as she leaned forward to rest in his arms again.

"Angela was right."

"About what?"

"I am lucky." She said with a grin.

Carlisle laughed.

"You might want to hold that thought."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because we're going to have to tell Charlie." He said with a smirk.

She groaned.

"Great. He's going to kill me. He was convinced that Edward was too old for me. How much older are you?"

"About 257 years."

"Okay. I'll rephrase. How much older does Charlie think you are?"

"12 years."

Bella ran her fingers through her hair with a resigned smile.

"Well, my mom is 9 years older than Phil, so she can't really argue, but Charlie is probably going to disapprove. Still want me?"

He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Always."

She smiled.

A sudden breeze blew past them, causing Bella to shiver suddenly.

"Cold?" Carlisle asked, concerned.

She nodded.

"A little."

"We'd better get you home then. Charlie definitely won't be happy with me if you end up with hypothermia."

Bella grinned.

"That probably wouldn't be a good start for you since you are trying to get his approval."

He chuckled.

"No. Not at all."

He stood and held out his hand

"Are you ready for the climb back down?"

She eyed the edge of the cliff warily.

"Not really."

He laughed.

"Don't worry Bella. I'll never let you fall."

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Okay, go before I change my mind."

He nodded, slinging her across his back.

"Hold on tight."

He took two bounding leaps towards the edge before leaping forward off of the cliff. He flew through the air gracefully, landing lightly on a low tree branch and swinging down to the ground. It took easily half as long to get back to the car, and Bella was surprised to find out that they were back already.

"Do I want to know how we got here so fast?"

He smiled.

"Definitely not."

She rolled her eyes and got in the passenger seat of the Mercedes despite how much she wished she could've stayed up on that cliff with him just a little longer.

Carlisle started the car and began driving back towards Forks at his usual speed, wondering how on Earth they would tell Charlie. Chief Swan would not be happy about this turn of events. He hoped that Bella's father would accept the idea eventually though. Whether or not Bella was willing to admit it, Charlie did mean a great deal to her.

He glanced over at the brunette with a grin, still unable to believe that she returned his feelings. He reached over and laced her fingers with his, prompting a smile from her. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently.

It was then that another thought crossed his mind: Esme. Technically they were still married. He owed it to her to tell her the truth. But, if there was one redeeming truth, it was that that conversation would be much easier than this next one. His wife didn't have access to a shotgun…

* * *

Alright. There it is. It's finally happened. 22 chapters later and you, my faithful and amazing readers, finally get your first piece of action. I hope it came out good. i liked it personally, but we all have different opinions, and i'm anxious to see yours. i'm not even going to throw out a philosophical question because i want your reactions on the chapter so much more. :D  
-The author (with an always growing amount of nicknames)


	23. Chapter 23

AN!:Hey guys!! I'm really sorry that it took me so long to get this up. I spent all weekend trying to login to and it wouldn't let me. Apparently there was some sort of glitch in their system. idk, but i was as annoyed as you guys probably are. anyways, without any further ado, here is your new chapter!

* * *

Chapter 23

I slowed the car down as we drove back into Forks city lines. A speeding ticket would not improve my odds with the chief.

I couldn't help the smile that made its way onto my lips as I glanced over at the brunette in the passenger seat. She'd fallen asleep a few minutes ago. I loved watching her sleep. I couldn't remember the feeling myself. It had been about 340 years for me.

Humans were fascinating when they sleepy. They were innocent and completely open. If there was one thing I missed from my human life, it was the ability to dream. For it was in dreams that the mind was truly set free.

I parked my car across the street from Bella's house and got out quietly so I didn't wake her. I picked her up gently and walked smoothly to the front door. Thankfully Charlie had seen me coming and had the door open before I got there.

He looked at Bella with a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Is she okay?"

I smiled, understanding his worry.

"She'd fine, Charlie. She fell asleep on the way back from the hospital. I tool her on a tour to help her decide what she wants to do after college. I think I might make a surgeon out of her someday."

Charlie chuckled.

"And here I thought she was squeamish. Do you want me to take her?" He asked, gesturing to the brunette in my arms.

I shook my head.

"No, it's alright. I'll just take her upstairs if that's okay."

He nodded.

"Sure."

I turned and climbed the stairs easily, walking into Bella's room and laying her down gently on the bed. With a light kiss on her forehead, I headed back downstairs to speak to Charlie. Before Bella and I spoke to him together, I felt I owed it to him to ask for his permission.

I walked back into the living room, where Charlie was on the couch flipping through channels. He looked up at me and nodded to acknowledge my presence.

"So, a surgeon huh?"

I grinned, sitting down as well.

"Yes. I had to step in and help out with a few ER patients. She apparently enjoyed watching the surgeries from the observation room. I believe 'fascinating' was the word she used."

Charlie snorted.

"My daughter the doctor. Never thought I'd see the day…"

I smiled at the thought. Bella would make an excellent physician. She was smart and had the ability and drive to become a great surgeon.

I looked over at Charlie with a sigh. He was probably going to kick me out of his house, but regardless it needed to be done.

"Chief," I said, watching him evenly as he looked up at me. "I wonder if I might have a word."

He raised an eyebrow, but switched off the TV.

"Sure. What's going on?"

I straightened up.

"Well, I was going to wait, but I feel that this is something that I should speak to you about alone."

Charlie's eyebrows furrowed.

"Is this about Bella? Is she okay?"

"She's fine, but this is about her. You see, when I e-mailed you about Bella I was concerned about her, but I didn't realize how much until I came here. When I found Bella by Dowling's garage that night, I was more afraid than I had ever been. I thought I'd lost her."

I paused, taking a deep breath.

"It was actually in that same moment that I realized why I was so afraid. Bella meant more to me than a friend should."

Charlie opened his mouth and closed it twice before he finally spoke.

"So, you…have feelings…for Bella?"

I nodded.

"I apologize. I never meant for this to happen. In the few days that I've known, I have done my best to fight it. However, earlier at the hospital we spoke. I assumed that she had discovered my feelings and sought to let me down easy, but I was wrong. I still can't believe it myself, but Bella returns my feelings. So, it is my hope that you will allow me to date your daughter."

I sat silently as Charlie seemed to gather his thoughts. I knew that whether he gave his blessing or not, Bella would still want us to be together, but I wanted his approval regardless. Bella loved her father. She would never be as happy with me knowing that he was against us.

Finally Charlie spoke.

"I have a few questions."

I nodded.

"I'd be more than happy to answer them."

He nodded back at me.

"First, I thought you were married."

I winced.

"Officially I still am, but Esme and I have been having problems for a while now. Just before I left for Forks we talked and we're going to separate. We'll remain friends though, and she will continue to live with the family as she will always be a part of it."

Charlie seemed okay with that answer and he threw out his second question.

"Don't you think you're a little old for Bella?"

This question was easier.

"I'm only 27 actually. I realize that I am still 9 years older than Bella, but she doesn't exactly act her age."

Charlie smiled fondly.

"No she doesn't. Her mother used to say that she was born middle aged."

I grinned.

"Bella mentioned that."

He nodded, holding my gaze as he asked his last question.

"Will you take care of her?"

I didn't even blink.

"I love Bella more than life itself. I could never stand to see her in pain, and in that same manner I could never hurt her. I consider myself lucky that she loves me as she does, and I will cherish her and respect her always, even if she one day decides that she wants to be with someone her own age. She deserves nothing less."

Charlie looked at me for a moment and then sighed.

"Carlisle, I've known you for a few years now and I respect you as a doctor and as a person. I can't say that I like Bella dating someone who is your age and recently divorced, but I know that you're a good man and you'll take care of my daughter."

I exhaled in relief.

"Thank you Charlie."

He eyed me seriously.

"I'm not quite done yet. I don't want you dating Bella until you're officially divorced. There are too many nosy people in this town, and I don't want them spreading rumors about my daughter."

"Of course."

"And," He continued. "If you ever hurt her, you remember that I'm the Chief of Police. I'll have you behind bars so fast that you won't have time to blink, alright?"

I looked at him sincerely.

"Charlie, if I ever hurt her, I'll put the cuffs on myself."

He smiled slightly and shook my hand firmly.

"Alright. I guess you can date Bella then."

I grinned.

"Thanks Chief."

He rolled his eyes and switched the TV back on. I knew that was my cue to leave.

"Well, I'd better head home. Goodnight Charlie."

"Night Doc."

I smiled as I let myself out. It's not everyday that one witnesses a miracle.

Seconds later, my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Carlisle!"

I chuckled.

"Hi Alice."

"Soooo, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

"Nothing that I'm sure you don't already know."

"It does kind of defeat the purpose, doesn't it?" She chirped happily. "Well, never mind that. Why don't you sound excited?"

"Because I'm still outside Charlie's house. I figured I should act human at least until I leave the area."

"Good idea, because he definitely would have seen your jump of joy. Why don't we have a family basketball team again?"

"Because the last time we tried that, Emmett got too excited and popped the ball."

"Good point. For the record, you don't know how difficult it was not to run down to Forks and hug you both."

I smiled, knowing Alice only too well.

"How far did you get before your common sense kicked in?"

"Only about a hundred miles or so."

"I figured as much, but don't worry. You'll get your chance to hug both of us eventually. You'll just have to attend to me first."

"I know!" She exclaimed excitedly. "You'll be back tomorrow! Oh, and Emmett is going to tackle you when you step onto the porch."

"Thanks for the heads up. Speaking of which, do you know hoe Esme will take the news?"

"Again, not a magic 8-ball. But I don't think you'll have to worry. She loves Bella as much as the rest of us. She'll see that you're good for her and vice-versa."

"Yes, I have the utmost faith in her rationale, but I don't want to hurt her. We aren't even divorced yet and already I'm moving on."

"Sometimes these things just happen you know. Even Esme knows that. She'll understand."

I sighed, but I had to admit that Alice had a point.

"Perhaps you're right. In any case, I have to go prepare for the trip back."

"I know I know. I just wanted to call and congratulate you. Tell Bella I said hello."

"I will. You'd better get home before Esme starts to worry."

"Okay Dad."

I grinned.

"Bye Alice."

"Bye Carlisle."

I hung up and put my cell phone back in my pocket. I needed to get to a computer and buy a plane ticket back to Alaska, and then I needed to talk to Bella. I hated leaving her here, but at least now I had faith that she would be okay without me for a few days. Now that we were together, she was stronger than ever. She was actually sleeping without me for the first time since I'd come back to Forks.

Besides, I wouldn't be able to stay long in Alaska. I hadn't even left yet and I already missed Bella. I could never be parted from her for long. It seemed I was already falling hard. I chuckled to myself. The clumsiest girl I've ever known had tripped me, and I'd fallen in love with her.

* * *

Okay, there it is. Man, i'm still totally peeved with this site and that epic glitch. hopefully that doesn't happen again. I'll try to get another chapter out during the week to make up for it. Oh, and i totally got my tongue pierced today! score!  
Well, please review as usual. i love em! ttyl!  
-The author with many epic nicknames.


	24. Chapter 24

AN!:Holy crap! 40 reviews in one day!? wow. i love you guys. and in honor of your complete and utter amazing-ness, i have typed out the next chapter. So, here it is. It's fairly long. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 24

I blinked sleepily, surprised to find myself in my room at Charlie's. The last thing I remembered I was in the car on the way home. I sat up, rubbing my eyes as they adjusted to the darkness and wondering where Carlisle was.

I noticed then that there was a note sitting on my bedside table. I switched on the lamp and smiled as I took in his perfect elegant script.

"Bella,

I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you woke up. I have a few things to take care of but I'll be there as soon as Charlie falls asleep. I promise.

I love you.

-Carlisle"

I couldn't help the silly grin that found its way onto my lips. That man was adorable. I put the note safely in between the pages of my English book and then looked over at the clock on my desk. It was 10 o'clock already. Charlie would probably head to bed any minute now. I decided to take my human moment now so that when Carlisle got here I'd be able to spend more time with him. I changed into a tank top and a pair of boxers and headed to the bathroom to go through my nighttime routine. I heard Charlie walk up the stairs and into his room, and hurried back to my own.

A soft voice came from the window.

"Miss me?"

I smiled at Carlisle as he stepped gracefully into the room and walked over to me.

"Nice outfit." He said with a smirk.

I punched him lightly before leaning into his arms as he placed a kiss on my forehead.

"You missed." I said.

He chuckled.

"And so I did."

He leaned in and put his arms around me, pulling me so close that I was breathing in his delicious scent.

"You're such a tease." I said breathily as he moved slowly towards me.

"Well, we can't have that." He said with a smirk, bringing one hand up to cup my cheek as he pulled my lips to his. This kiss wasn't as sudden as the first. It was softer, more gentle, but every bit as passionate.

I sighed happily as it ended and I knew he'd heard me because he smiled right back on me.

"I seem to have forgotten…have I mentioned that I am quite unequivocally in love with you?"

I grinned, enjoying the sense of completeness that his words gave me.

"You might have mentioned it," I admitted. "But I will never tire of hearing it."

He walked over to the bed and sat near the head so he could lean against the wall and I followed suit, resting comfortably in his arms.

"So," I said conversationally. "What were you doing while I was asleep?"

"Buying a plane ticket." He said with a sigh.

I looked at him in alarm.

"You're leaving?"

He reached out and laced our fingers together.

"Only for a couple of days. I have a divorce to finalize and I think I owe Esme the truth, not to mention the rest of my family."

I looked at him worriedly, suddenly incredibly nervous.

"Do you think they'll take it okay?"

"Well, Alice already knows everything and naturally she's told Jasper. In fact, she called me seconds after I left your house earlier to congratulate the both of us, and I've been ordered to tell you that she says hello."

I grinned as he continued.

"As for Esme, she will probably be surprised, but she knows me. She'll be able to see how happy I am, and I believe that she will be happy for us as well."

I grimaced as I remembered the other female Cullen.

"What about Emmett and Rosalie?"

"Emmett will love it. He'll probably try to call you mom. Just tell me if he does. I'll deal with him. He's very easy to blackmail."

I chuckled before sobering immediately.

"And Rosalie?"

He sighed.

"Rose means well, she really does. And she is incredibly loyal. She wants what is best for the family, and she'll see that that includes you now. Just give it time."

I nodded as I pondered his words. I couldn't fault Rosalie for wanting to protect her family. I felt the same way. I always wished that she had given me a chance when I was with Edward though.

Crap. I'd forgotten about the person who would be affected the most.

"Carlisle, what about Edward?"

I watched my beautiful vampire shut his eyes and take a deep breath before answering.

"He's still in South America the last I heard, but he does need to be told. He's my son. I can't lie to him."

"I know, and I would never ask you to, but he's not going to take it well, is he…?"

He shook his head.

"No. Probably not. He still loves you Bella. Despite how much he hurt you, he did it to try and protect you. He meant well, but he never listens to reason. He will likely feel that I have betrayed him."

I could hear the pain in his voice. He truly loved Edward as a son, and it would hurt him to have Edward hate him.

I pulled his cold stone hand to my lips and kissed it gently.

"You've done nothing for which you should feel guilty or ashamed. You can't help who you fall in love with."

He smiled softly.

"You're right, but I doubt my son will see it that way."

"Edward can be reasonable. Just give it time."

He nodded.

"Hopefully he'll take it like Charlie did."

I grimaced, remembering that I still had to talk to my dad, and then paused.

"Wait, you already talked to Charlie?"

"Yes. I meant to wait so we could talk to him together, but I felt it would be proper for me to ask for his permission first."

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm 18. I don't need permission."

"I know," He acknowledged. "But he is your father, and you love him. You wouldn't have been as happy knowing that he didn't approve."

I had to admit that he had a point. Charlie would have always been a weight on the relationship.

"So what did he say?" I asked, now immensely curious.

"He wasn't overjoyed by any means, but he knows and respects me. He trusts that I will take care of you, and he wants you to be happy. You should probably speak to him as well though."

I wrinkled my nose as I pictured how fun that conversation would be.

He chuckled.

"You'll be okay."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You sure about that? I think you should stay."

He smiled but shook his head.

"I have to go Bella. I'll be back though. You can count on that."

I sighed. I would miss him immensely. I knew that he had to do this, but I would definetly be counting the hours until his return.

"Okay okay. 2 days then."

"2 days." He agreed.

I watched him look over at the clock and rolled my eyes. I knew where this was going.

"Is this the part when the human has to sleep?" I asked wryly.

He smiled, kissing my cheek.

"Yes, it is. I'll be here though, long enough to take you to school tomorrow actually, and then I'll head to the airport."

"Ugh. Stop reminding me."

"As you wish." He said softly as he scooted us both down the bed until we were both settled comfortably under the sheets. "Now sleep."

I curled into him and relaxed, milking this moment as much as I could. It would have to last me for the next 2 nights as well.

I felt him place a kiss on the top of my head.

"I love you." He whispered.

I couldn't help a sleepy grin as I replied, "I love you more."

He laughed lightly as I began to drift off, but I heard his voice as he spoke once more.

"Impossible."

* * *

Carlisle woke Bella early, wanting to spend more time with her before he had to leave. She seemed to feel the same way as she got ready, showering and dressing as quickly as she could while he made breakfast once again.

She sat down at the kitchen table just as Carlisle was setting her plate down and she smiled.

"You spoil me."

He grinned and kissed her cheek lightly.

"Good. Now eat up. I have to get you to school."

She sighed.

"I was trying to ignore that fact."

He squeezed her free hand gently.

"So was I."

Bella kissed his hand in understanding and then returned to her breakfast happily.

She finished a few minutes later and helped him with the dished before allowing him to help her with her jacket and following him outside to the Mercedes.

He drove speed limit, talking to her about everything and nothing, trying to get his fill of her before he left for Alaska. And though he didn't realize it at the time, Bella was fervently doing the same. They arrived at Forks High much too soon.

Carlisle got out of the car and walked around it, opening Bella's door and bowing slightly as she stepped out to join him.

She rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"You're pretty cute when you're being chivalrous."

"Side effect of being born in the 1600's." He said with a grin.

She shook her head.

"I keep forgetting your real age. You seem so young these days."

"I feel young. I blame you."

Bella smiled.

"Happy to be your scapegoat."

He chuckled.

"I am going to miss you terribly over the next 2 days.

Bella sighed.

"I know you have to do this, but I don't want you to go."

He pulled her into his arms.

"I know Bella. I wish I didn't have to go as well, but if I don't go now I will still have to go later. Better to get it out of the way, don't you agree?"

She huffed but nodded reluctantly.

"You're right, but it won't make me miss you any less."

"Nor I you." He replied. "Nor I you."

She smiled and leaned in to kiss him softly, running her fingers through his blonde hair as his arms tightened around her waist.

He pulled away moments later with a chuckle.

Bella raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, but Angela Webber will definitely be interrogating you later."

The brunette groaned.

"I thought Edward was the only one who could read minds."

"He is, but her excited exclamation was quite audible despite the fact that she is on the other side of the parking lot."

Bella laughed.

"Only Angela…"

Just then the first bell rang.

Carlisle looked down at the young woman in his arms.

"I have to go, and so do you."

She sighed.

"Are you sure?"

He laughed.

"I'm positive Bella."

She pulled him into a heated kiss and then tried again.

"How about now?"

He smiled.

"I love you, but I have to go. I'll be back in 2 days, I promise. Here," He said, tossing her his keys. "I'll even let you use my car while I'm gone."

She grinned.

"You're not getting it back. You know that, right?"

He smirked playfully.

"I'll figure out a way. Now go before you're late."

She nodded sadly and started walking away before hurrying back to his side.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Forget something?"

"Yep." She said as she pulled his lips to hers, putting as much love and passion into the kiss as she could before she reluctantly let go.

"Okay," She said softly. "Now you can go."

He grinned. "I love you."

She smiled back at him.

"I love you more."

And, just as it happened the night before, he kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Impossible." Before turning and heading back to his house to pick up his ticket and his ID. He had a plane to catch.

* * *

Soooooooo, there it is! i hope you liked it. I personally thought it was pretty cool, but i could be biased. Anywho, um...i have a philosophy midterm tomorrow and i've read 2 of the 12 chapters that i need to, so i better go. Wish me luck! Please keep on reviewing!!  
-The author with many epic nicknames!


	25. Chapter 25

AN!: Wow. sorry this tok so long guys. it's been a long week. and an exhausting one. I wish i could just stop everything, block out all the stress, and take a week long nap. But anyway, i really like this chapter, and i hope you guys do too. thanks for your patience. here you go!

* * *

Chapter 25

Bella's POV

Just as Carlisle had said, Angela was waiting anxiously for me when I walked into 4th period. I grinned at her overly excited expression.

"Hey Ang," I said as I took my seat next to her. "Any particular reason you're having trouble sitting still?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Like you don't know. I saw what happened before school. I'm guessing yesterday went okay?"

"Better than okay."

She grinned.

"Details girl!"

I laughed as I granted her request.

"Well, after the hospital tour he drove up to a hill that looked down on all of the forests and trees just as the sun was setting. Then we sat down and he let me go first. I was talking fast and stuttering because I just wanted to get it over with because I thought he was going to reject me. And as I was rambling on and on, he pulled me in and kissed me. I was completely stunned. It was amazing Ang."

She shot me a sly grin.

"Better than Edward?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Did you have to go there Ang?"

She shrugged.

"It's a valid question."

I shook my head, but indulged her curiosity with a small grin.

"So much better than Edward."

She made an excited noise that sounded suspiciously like a squeal. I raised my eyebrows, surprised at her sudden girlish response. She blushed.

"Sorry."

I laughed.

"It's okay Ang. That was much more eloquent than my response was. I'm pretty sure I just stared at him with my mouth open."

"You didn't."

"I did."

She grimaced.

"Don't take this the wrong way Bella, but for your incredible lack of skill you have an incredible amount of luck."

I chuckled.

"No, you're right. I still can't believe that he loves me back."

"Wait, he loves you?! You totally did not mention that."

I nodded.

"He told me yesterday that he's in love with me. It's amazing. I couldn't even let myself hope for it and somehow it happened."

Angela pulled me in for a quick hug.

"I'm so happy for you Bella! Mike won't be happy, but I totally am!"

I smiled.

"Thanks Ang."

I opened my English book and started flipping through it absently. A piece of paper fell out. At first I had no idea what it was, but then I remembered. It was Carlisle's note. I grinned as I re-read the beautiful words he'd written for me.

I felt Angela peeking over my shoulder, so I gave up and passed her the note.

Again a girlish squeal escaped as she took in what he had left me.

"Bella, you have the perfect guy. If I didn't have Ben I'd ask if he had a brother."

I snorted in laughter at Angela's unintentional joke.

"He doesn't. Just a few kids."

She rolled her eyes.

"And all of them are taken if I remember correctly. Well, except Edward, and I don't see that happening. Nah, I'll stick with Ben."

"Good choice."

"I think so. So, will he be picking you up after school?"

I sighed sadly.

"No. He's going to visit his family and tell them the truth. And finalize his divorce while he's there. He'll only be gone 2 days."

Angela looked at me knowingly.

"Those 2 days will be hell, won't they…?"

I nodded.

"I miss him already. Although, he did leave me his car." I said with a grin."

"The Mercedes? Nice!"

"I know. He's never getting it back."

Angela laughed.

"Never pegged you as one for grand theft auto."

I shoved her lightly, laughing along with her.

"You haven't ridden in this car…"

* * *

Carlisle stepped out of the airport, eying the overcast Alaskan weather with a small sigh. He missed Forks already, and he'd only been gone a couple hours.

_Well, it's not really Forks that I miss._ he thought with a chuckle.

"Carlisle!" A bell-like voice shouted.

He grinned as Alice ran over and jumped into his arms.

"Alice. Jasper." He said with a nod to the blonde standing just behind his daughter.

Jasper smiled as he tugged Alice back into his arms.

"How was the conference?"

The doc chuckled.

"Best one I've ever been to. I missed everyone though. How are things going at the house?"

Alice rolled her eyes.

"The same as they were the last tine you asked."

"Well, not exactly the same." Jasper said with a sigh. "Rose confiscated the XBOX and proceeded to tear it apart."

Carlisle laughed.

"That explains how Alice got you here."

She grinned.

"Yep, now let's get going. I can't wait to see what Emmett will do in person."

Carlisle shook his head.

"I can."

* * *

Carlisle's POV

Half an hour later, Alice parked her Ferrari in the garage and we all got out of the car and headed for the front door.

Remembering what Alice had said on the phone, I passed Jasper my bag and slipped into a defensive posture, waiting for my eldest son. Seconds later I heard his heavy footsteps as the door was flung open and Emmett launched himself at me. I grinned at the look on his face as he realized that I was waiting for him, and stepped aside as he went flying past me. He managed to tuck his body and roll gracefully back onto his feet.

"Alice," he groaned. "You're such a fun sucker."

She bowed gracefully.

"I'm here to please."

Emmett rolled his eyes as he brushed himself off and jogged over to me. This time I couldn't duck out of the bear hug he pulled me into.

"Hey pops. How was the trip?"

"Let him breathe Emmett." Esme said as she and Rose joined the impromptu family reunion on the front lawn.

I smiled at her thankfully as my son set me back down on the ground.

"The trip was good." I replied, walking over to my soon to be ex-wife and dropping a polite kiss on her cheek as I greeted her. "Esme."

She reached out and squeezed my hand gently.

"Now or later?" She asked quietly.

"It's up to you." I responded.

She thought for a moment.

"I suppose now is as good a time as ever."

I nodded as she continued.

"I'll get everyone inside."

I took the opportunity to walk over to the only member of the family that I hadn't greeted yet.

"Hey Kitty." I said affectionately, pulling Rosalie into a hug.

"Hey Dad." She said with a smile.

For all of Rose's tenacity she had always been, for all intents and purposes, my little girl. I kissed the top of her head, keeping my arm around her as we followed Esme into the house.

"So, I hear you tore another video game system apart. How many does that make now?"

She grinned.

"Twelve."

I chuckled.

"Emmett never learns."

"No he doesn't." She agreed, but I could hear the fondness in her voice.

I gave her shoulder a final squeeze before taking my place on the loveseat next to Esme, who spoke first.

"Take a seat everyone. Carlisle and I need to talk to you about a few things."

Alice and Jasper were naturally already sitting, having known what was coming. Rosalie and Emmett however, seemed confused, but followed suit and took their places on the remaining couch.

'"What's going on pops?" Emmett asked impatiently.

I shook my head.

"You've been alive almost a century and you still haven't gained any semblance of patience."

He grinned cheekily despite Esme's disapproving look.

"Just sit tight and we'll tell you everything." She said with a stern look.

He rolled his eyes but gestured for us to begin.

Esme spoke first.

"Undoubtedly you've all noticed that your father and I have been having a few problems lately."

She paused as our four kids nodded in agreement.

"Well, we've decided to just be friends from now on. We're going to get a divorce."

"Nothing will change," I added quickly. "The family will still remain together. I'll just be moving out of the master suite."

Rosalie looked up at me.

"You never fought. Why are you separating?"

I smiled at her softly.

"We didn't want to worry you. We've just fallen out of love. It's rare, but it can happen."

Esme nodded.

"We had a long and happy marriage, more than many humans have in a lifetime. It's time to let go though."

"Yes," I agreed. "It is. We'll finish up the paperwork tomorrow."

Jasper took the opportunity to voice his opinion.

"I've been sensing your emotions for weeks now. This is the first time since we moved to Forks that I feel true happiness from both of you. I think this is a god thing for you. And a little birdie told me that everything will turn out for the best."

Alice grinned and laced her fingers with his.

I smiled at them before looking over at Rosalie and Emmett.

My son shrugged.

"As long as we're still gonna keep the family together it's cool with me."

Esme reached out and squeezed his hand lightly in gratitude, but my attention was on my daughter.

"Kitty?" I asked, watching her expression carefully.

She stood and ran to my side. I pulled her onto my lap quickly.

"What's wrong Rose?"

I knew from the look on her face that if she had been able to cry, she would have. I rubbed her shoulder as soothingly as I could and Esme had a gentle hold on one of her hands as we both waited for her to speak.

"Kitty?" I asked again.

She looked up at me.

"You and mom have always been so close, ever since I can remember. I don't understand. How can bonds so strong be so easily broken?"

"Not broken Rose, our bond is just different now, but every bit as strong. Your mother is still my best friend."

"But…" She said hopelessly, with an almost imperceptive glance in Emmett's direction.

I immediately understood.

I spoke so low that only Esme and our daughter would hear me.

"Your bond with Emmett is much different than the one I have with your mother. You carried him more than 100 miles as he bled in your arms. What you have with him, that love, I do not believe will ever fade."

My little girl sighed in relief when I finished and hugged me happily.

"Thanks dad."

I smiled.

"Anytime kiddo."

She stood and snorted.

"Kiddo?"

I chuckled.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I think I outgrew that nickname at least half a century ago."

I grinned.

"Whatever you say pumpkin."

She made a face.

"I liked kiddo better."

From then on things calmed down as we all relaxed and began talking about everything that I missed while I'd been gone, including a complete play by play of the baseball game against Tanya's coven.

I really had missed my family. I hoped that one day very soon everything would be resolved and we could move back to Forks. I needed Bella. She was a part of my family now too.

I glanced at Esme with a small sigh. She deserved to know the truth. I would talk to her tonight, but first I needed to call Bella.

My silly, delicate little human was probably going crazy without me, because I knew I was without her.

* * *

Alrighty. there it is. I really liked this one. it was a lot of fun to write. and i hope you guys like what i did with Rosalie. She's seems like a strong person, but i've always imagined her to have a soft side that only certain people see. anywho, i'm dead tired and i have to be up early, so i will talk to you lovely readers later. hopefully tomorrow night. hasta!

-The author. (W.M.E.N.)


	26. Chapter 26

AN!: Hey guys. i loved all of your reviews. seriously. i can't start to express how glad i am that no one hated my version of rosalie. i can't help loving her character. i have no idea why though because she isn't exactly the nicest person in the books. anywho, i wanted to get this out before i have to go to school again. gotta love college. so, enjoy and please review!

* * *

Chapter 26

Bella's POV

School was mostly uneventful after 4th period. I got a few stares from the other kids who had seen what had happened before school, but I was used to being stared at. Besides, there was a whole slew of new freshman this year that hadn't gotten their fill yet.

Work at John's garage was business as usual. We were too busy for him to teach me anything new. The time went by quickly though, and pretty soon I was walking out to the Mercedes, pulling Carlisle's jacket on along the way.

I smiled wistfully as his scent washed over me. I missed him already.

Just then my cell rang, and I flipped it open eagerly.

"Finally!"

I heard a familiar voice chuckle.

"Miss me Bella?"

"More than you know. How is everyone?"

"They're all fine. Better than when I left actually."

"Have you talked to them yet?"

"Esme and I told them about the divorce, but that's all so far. I want to tell Esme about you first before I tell the family."

"Yeah, I understand. How did they take the separation though?"

"Alice and Jasper already knew and were in agreement with the decision. Emmett took it in stride as always. Rosalie was the only one who was affected by it."

"Really? What did she say?"

"She was upset actually, but not because of the separation. She was worried that if a bond as strong in her mind as ours was could diminish, perhaps the one she has with Emmett would follow the same path."

"Is she okay now?"

"I think so. I talked to her and she was much better afterwards. Course it could've just been the hug. I have it on good authority that I give stellar hugs."

I laughed.

"The best. It's interesting though, about Rosalie."

"What is?"

"Her reaction. I guess I never saw her as an emotional person. She always seems incredibly strong. She still scares me a little actually."

Carlisle chuckled.

"She's harmless, especially to you. She just loves her family and wants to keep us safe. Out of all of my children she is the only one who truly loves me as a father. She's my little girl."

I smiled at the love in his voice. Maybe I had misjudged Rosalie.

"Well," I said softly. "Maybe I should try to start over with her. We really did get off on the wrong foot."

"Indeed. But Edward's lack of any relationship with her didn't exactly help. I think that if you got to know each other you really would end up as close as you and Alice are."

"I hope so. I don't want to be a burden."

"You could never be a burden Bella."

I sighed happily.

"I love you."

"I love you too Bella."

I looked down at my watch. I needed to get home. Charlie was bound to want to talk to me. That was going to be fun…

As if he was reading my mind, Carlisle spoke again.

"Have you talked to Charlie?"

"No, I just got off of work. I was about to head home and start the blessed event when you called."

"You'll be fine. He loves you. He wants you to be happy."

"I know, but the idea of him asking questions is incredibly embarrassing."

"If the questions he had for me were any indication, I don't think it'll be too bad."

"You have no idea how much I want to believe that."

"You'll be okay Bella. I promise. I have to talk to Esme though, and since I ran 50 miles to make this call, I should probably head back."

"Yeah. Good luck with that."

"Thanks, but I have a feeling talking to Esme will be easier than talking to Charlie. You keep the luck."

I smiled with a roll of my eyes.

"Thanks. I love you. Go talk to Esme."

"I love you too Bella. I'll call you again as soon as I can."

"I'll hold you to that."

"I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Carlisle."

* * *

Carlisle's POV

I hung up my cell with a smile. I loved that girl. Hopefully Esme would understand that.

I turned and sprinted back to the house as fast as I could. I wanted to get this over with. I only had one more day, and though I couldn't wait to return to Forks and to my Bella, I needed to finish this.

I slowed to a jog as I entered the yard and then to a walk as I opened the front door and strode into the living room.

"Esme?" I called quietly, knowing that she would hear me if she was in the house. One of the side-effects of being married for 60 years is you become attuned to each others voices.

She stepped out of the dining room with a smile, her hair swept back in a ponytail and her clothing covered in dust among other things.

"I thought I'd get a head start on the refurbishing. We haven't lived here in at least 20 years. There's a lot of work to be done."

"Then it's a good thing you enjoy doing it."

She grinned.

"Of course. So, did you need me for something?"

I nodded.

"After a fashion. I need to talk to you actually."

"Do you want to go upstairs and speak in your office?"

"Actually I'd rather talk outside if you don't mind. We have rather overly curious children."

"I heard that!" Emmett shouted from upstairs.

I chuckled as Esme simply shook her head, knowing that our son had just effectively proved my point.

"I think you're right," She said wryly. "Lead the way."

I nodded and walked out the front door, making sure she was following as I sprinted away into the woods. I didn't stop for at least 5 minutes, wanting to be far enough so that no one who didn't already know would end up accidentally finding out. When I felt that the distance was safe enough I stopped running ad scanned the area for any stray hikers. This conversation would be hard enough without that for a distraction.

Esme walked over to stand beside me.

"Why so secretive?" She asked, noting my caution.

"Sorry. It's really not bad news, but I didn't want to be overheard. I plan on telling the rest of the family tomorrow."

"Then why not wait until tomorrow to tell me?"

"I thought it best to tell you first."

She still seemed confused, but gestured for me to speak regardless.

"Go ahead."

I took a deep breath and began.

"Well, you know that I lied to the family to go to Forks to take care of Bella."

She nodded.

"Well," I continued. "When I found her she was unconscious outside Dowling's garage and she'd hit her head pretty hard. There was quite a gash and she was bleeding as well. I had to bring her back to the old house and take care of her. I would've taken her to the hospital, but they would've taken note of her malnourishment and admitted her, and since she didn't need the gossip that would've been spread and she hated hospitals anyway, I figured the house would have been easier."

Esme's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"What about Charlie's? At least her house would've had furniture."

"I thought about that, but my medical bags were at the house, and though Charlie means well, he doesn't know everything. For all his attempts, there would be parts of her that he could never heal. And as for the furniture, we did leave the bed, and that worked well enough for my purposes. I hope you don't mind that I used it."

She rolled her eyes.

"Of course I don't mind."

I smiled.

"Good, because Bella ended up using it for a few days. Charlie had to work so I offered to take care of her while she recovered."

Esme smiled, obviously approving of my decision, so I continued.

"Her head recovered fairly quickly, but her mind and her heart were both still in pieces. Careful questions on both of our parts turned into full conversations and as time went by her emotions began to heal as well. Slowly we pieced her life back together. She's so much improved now."

"Thank God." Esme breathed in relief.

"I know. I was afraid I'd lost her in the beginning. It's good to see her happy again." I said with a small smile.

She spoke softly.

"It sounds like you're pretty close."

I nodded.

"After what happened I suppose it's hard not to be. But I believe it's more than that. She is wise beyond her years, and very intuitive. She knew more about me in a few days then I divulge to most people in the course of a century. She's become a very good friend."

She eyed me levelly.

"Carlisle…we were married for 60 years. I can tell when you aren't telling me everything."

I sighed.

"I apologize. I am trying. I just don't want to say anything that might hurt you."

"Hurt me? I don't understand."

"Esme…while I was in Forks with Bella something happened." I said slowly, watching her expression carefully.

"Just tell me Carlisle. It'll be okay."

I nodded.

"Okay, well here it is then. While I was in Forks…I fell in love with Bella."

What I said was definitely not what I expected.

"You…" She stuttered in shock before taking a breath, composing herself and starting again. "Does she know?"

I nodded.

"Yes, and by some miracle she feels the same."

She shook her head in amazement.

"It didn't take you long to move on."

I winced until I felt a hand on my arm.

"I'm kidding," She said with a laugh. "I'm happy for you Carlisle. I really am. This is what Jasper was talking about when he said that you were truly happy?"

"Yes it is. She…she makes me feel young again."

"I really am happy for you," Esme said with a smile, before sobering immediately. "This is going to cause a few problems though."

"I know. Edward is due home any day now. He's not going to be okay with this. He still loves her. I feel that in following my heart I've betrayed my son."

"You haven't betrayed anyone. Edward let her go."

"He let her go to keep her safe, and I ignored his reasoning and went right back."

"Leaving her wasn't the way to keep her safe. In saving her you've gone above and beyond Edward's wishes. He'll see that eventually."

"I hope so," I finished with a sigh. "I really hope so."

My ex-wife hugged me reassuringly.

"It'll be okay, really. And I _am_ happy for you. Even if it did take you less than a week." She joked.

I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks. We'd better get back. According to Alice we have a baseball game tomorrow morning, and then I have to repeat this conversation to the rest of the family and hope that they take it as well as you did."

"Well, from what you've said, Alice and Jasper already know and that leaves only Emmett and Rosalie. You know Emmett loves Bella as much as I do, and Rose will come around. She loves you, and she wants you to be happy. She'll see that Bella has become a primary cause of that."

"I know, but that won't be her immediate reaction, and I'd really love it if she didn't run down to Forks and tear my adorably clumsy human into pieces."

"That was cute." She teased.

"Shush. Now let's head back before anyone decides to come after us."

She nodded and then grinned.

"Last one back has to arm wrestle Emmett." She said before taking off in a blur.

I laughed as I chased after her, and immense feeling of relief flowing through me.

_One conversation down, one to go…_

Esme's POV

I shoved Carlisle playfully as I ran by him into the house. He'd beaten me back easily, but I handled the defeat gracefully as usual.

I turned to my middle son.

"Jasper, can I speak to you in the dining room?"

He nodded, sensing my curiosity and followed me, shutting the door behind him.

"You have a question," he said knowingly, opening the topic for me.

"Yes," I replied, speaking quietly that only he could hear me. "I want to know how deeply Carlisle really feels for Bella."

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"I love the both of them and I don't want them to be hurt later because one or both of them were on the rebound."

He smiled, understanding my concern and sent a wave of calm through me.

"He loves her Esme. As deeply as he loved you. Maybe even more. I haven't felt his emotions this happy or in love in decades. You have nothing to worry about. Especially because Alice and I are in agreement, and it's never wise to bet against Alice."

I laughed softly.

"No it isn't. Thank you Jasper."

He nodded and returned to the living room, leaving me to my thoughts.

I would miss what I had with Carlisle, but our love had long since run its course. Though we hadn't officially gotten divorced yet, we had not been a couple for a long time and it was time for him to move on. If Bella could fill the hole in his heart and he the void in hers, I could wish for nothing more. He deserved happiness. They both did. And I was happy for the both of them.

* * *

I kinda threw esme's pov in there as an after thought. i felt it would kind of give a little closure on the chapter and let you guys know where her head is at right now. i hope everyone agrees with how she took the news. she's just so nice. i couldn't help having her take it well. don't worry though, the drama is definetly coming.  
thanks for reading and please please please leave me some very epic long winded reviews. i love reading what you guys think about this.  
ttyl!  
-The author (WMEN)


	27. Chapter 27

AN!:Alrighty. Well, this took me an epic amount of time to get posted. but in my defense i did try last night. the site was giving me an error message though, so it had to be postponed until now. But hey, a chapter has been posted through one method or another. so go forth and enjoy it and i'll see you guys at the end!

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Chapter 27

Bella's POV

I pulled the Mercedes in to my usual spot in front of the house and got out, glancing guiltily at my truck. I loved my old Chevy, but Carlisle's car was just so luxurious. And it was nice to be able to go faster than 50 mph for a change.

I eyed the front door with a sigh. Charlie was likely waiting for me and expecting to have a serious conversation about Carlisle. Frankly, I wanted to just crash at the Cullen's house and avoid the whole problem, but that wouldn't stop it from happening, just postpone it and probably worry Charlie in the process. I took a deep breath and opened the front door, walking in and setting my stuff down on the kitchen table.

"Hey dad," I called out, pulling off my work shirt and tossing it into the laundry room. "Pizza again?" I asked wryly, noticing the box on the counter.

"It was either pizza or fish." He responded.

I made a face.

"I take it back. Pizza is good."

I put a couple slices on a plate and walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch next to Charlie and looking up to see what he was watching. Naturally, it was baseball.

"Who's playing?" I asked conversationally.

"Mariners and the Oakland Athletics. Good game so far."

I nodded, feigning interest, and turned my attention back to the pizza, polishing it off just as the game ended.

I did notice that the Mariners had won by two runs, and I hoped that would put Charlie in a good mood, because otherwise this conversation would be a lot more painful.

I rolled my eyes when I realized that he'd been shooting glances at me for a few minutes now.

"Go ahead dad. I know Carlisle talked to you already."

Charlie grunted and turned off the TV. Obviously he was looking forward to this as much as I was.

I let him speak first.

"So…" he began. "Dr. Cullen, huh?'

I nodded with a roll of my eyes.

"Yes dad. Dr. Cullen."

He sighed.

"Why Bella?"

I paused, wondering how to go about answering that one. I decided to begin with the obvious.

"I love him dad. He came back when Edward left. He took care of me. He helped me to get over his son and not just so that I could be with him. I know he's older than me, but it really doesn't matter. I just can't believe he loves me at all."

He shook his head and ran a hand roughly through his hair.

"I swear Bella, you're going to be the death of me one of these days."

I smiled.

"Sorry dad. This time will be different though. I promise."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Different how?"

"Well, for starters, Carlisle actually tells me the truth. Edward used to edit everything he said to me. He treated me like a child where Carlisle treats me like an equal. Edward also was constantly trying to convince me to lie to you about our relationship, but Carlisle came to you immediately. You have to know that this is so much better than last time."

Charlie nodded slowly.

"I never did like Edward."

I laughed.

"No you didn't."

"Well, I guess there isn't anything I can do about it anyway. You're 18 now. But for what it's worth, Carlisle is a good man."

I grinned, knowing that was his way of saying that I had his blessing, and leaned over to give him a quick hug.

"Thanks dad."

He looked embarrassed for a moment and quickly turned the TV back on, immersing himself in Sports Center.

I took that as my cue to leave, standing up and taking my dishes to the sink. I grabbed my bag off of the kitchen table and headed upstairs, shouting "Goodnight dad" over my shoulder as I went. I heard him respond in kind just as I walked into my room and shut the door.

After setting my stuff down, the first thing I did was walk over to the bed and lie down, curling into the pillow that still smelled like Carlisle. I smiled as I hugged it tightly to my chest. He had been right. The conversation with Charlie had been easy, and I hoped that his conversation with Esme had been much the same.

For now though, all I had left to do was to wait patiently for my gorgeous, sweet, compassionate, loving, amazingly perfect vampire to come home.

I snorted.

_Wait patiently? Not likely._

I'd rather go shopping with Lauren and Jessica everyday for a month.

I shuddered and hugged the pillow a little tighter.

_Not to self: Never let Carlisle leave again._

Carlisle's POV

I rubbed my eyes tiredly as the final divorce paperwork came through over the fax machine in my office. All that was left was for Esme and I to sign them and send them back.

I grabbed the papers and put them in front of me on the desk. I picked up my pen and flipped to the back page where an empty line sat waiting for my signature. When I signed it, when Esme signed it, I would no longer be married. I paused, the pen hovering above the line, and took in what the effects of ink on these papers could be. Would my friendship with Esme change? Would it cease to exist? Would she leave the family? Would she stay but would the coven begin to struggle because of this? Would my decision cause my family to break apart? Was it right for me to do this?

I continued to ponder that thought for a few minutes, only looking up when a light knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," I said wearily, setting the pen down to better focus my attention.

"Hey," Esme said softly as she walked in and shut the door behind her. "I heard the fax…" She trailed off, knowing I could easily guess what she was hinting at.

"Yes," I said, gesturing to the papers on my desk. "They're very prompt when bribed."

She rolled her eyes.

"Jasper is a bad influence on you."

I chuckled.

"Perhaps, but helpful in this case. It would have taken several days normally, and I would've been back in Forks by then."

"You boys and your excuses." She joked.

I smiled. Perhaps I was wrong about losing her friendship. But how would I know for sure? I sighed quietly, glancing again at the divorce papers.

Esme, perceptive as always, noticed my hesitation.

"What's wrong?'

I shrugged noncommittally, not wanting to put this stress on her as well, but I'd forgotten how little that tended to work on her.

She simply gave me a stern, expectant look, which was my cue to give up.

"I'm just unsure if we should go through with this. I don't want to hurt the family."

Her expression changed from stern to understanding in an instant as she placed her small hand on top of mine.

"Carlisle, everything will turn out okay in the end. The family has already heard the news and taken it well. How are you still worried?"

I decided telling her the truth would be the easiest course of action.

"I'm afraid that our friendship will change, and in light of that the family will follow suit. I can't willingly make a decision that might cause that."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Carlisle, normally I love your compassion and your love for your family, but this time your fears really are unfounded. You have no reason to worry about our friendship. I'm quite alright. In fact, I am as ready to move on as you are. You just happened to find someone first. Besides, you know I love Bella. I couldn't be happier that she'll be a real part of the family one day. So stop fretting."

I smiled, feeling a little foolish as she walked over to my side and stole my pen, signing the divorce papers without a second though.

"Your turn," She said with a smirk, holding my pen out in front of me.

"Such cheek," I said, rolling my eyes as I grabbed the pen and signed my name next to hers.

She grinned.

"60 years and I can still surprise you…"

I opened my mouth to shoot back a witty retort but was cut off when Alice ran through the door.

"Hey guys! Time for the game. I just sent Jasper up to the Denalis' house to tell them to meet us in the field. Are you guys going to run or ride in Emmett's jeep?"

Esme grimaced.

"I've ridden with Emmett before. I think I'll run."

Alice looked over at me expectantly.

I grinned.

"I'll go with Emmett."

My ex-wife looked at me.

"Do you have a death wish?"

I smiled.

"You know, Bella asked me that same question. The both of you seem to have forgotten the whole immortal vampire thing."

Esme rolled her eyes and hit my arm in annoyance.

I feigned hurt.

"I definitely like Bella better. She's less abusive."

Esme just chuckled and walked out, leaving me with Alice, who gave me a disappointed once over and then began shoving me out the door.

"Honestly, why do I let any of you dress yourselves? I put a change of clothes in the bathroom."

"The bathroom? Why?"

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Because Esme is changing in the suite, genius. Now go. You have about," She paused as her eyes glazed over and then refocused. "Four and a half minutes until Emmett leaves."

I nodded in thanks and then sprinted into the bathroom and changed as quickly as I could before racing downstairs and into the garage where Rose and Emmett were sitting in the jeep ready to go.

"I already grabbed your bat, dad." Rosalie called out over the loud roar of the engine.

"Let's go! Esme and Alice have already left."

I grinned and hopped into the back seat.

"Well, we can't let then beat us. Pedal to the metal son!"

Emmett raised an eyebrow at my phrase but complied, racing out of the garage and into the woods.

My smile was still glued to my face as the jeep flew over the rocky terrain. Despite generally being the sensible doctor, I was a closet thrill seeker. I inhaled happily, taking in all of the scents around me: trees, animals, grass, the leather of the seatbelts, the exhaust from the engine, Emmett, Rosalie, and…Bella?

I took another deep breath, sure I was mistaken, but I knew her scent and it was definitely here with me. Moments later I isolated it in the fabric of the backseat. I wondered why it was there for a second until I remembered the incident with James. Edward had driven her away in this same jeep and her scent was still here after all that time. I spent the rest of the ride breathing her in.

_God I miss her._

_

* * *

_

In no POV whatsoever.

Despite Emmett's driving, Esme and Alice arrived in the clearing at about the same time as the jeep. The Denalis were already there warming up with Jasper, and Carlisle smiled when he saw Laurent among them. The darker man had been set in his vampiric ways for 300 years, but he was willing to give up his personal satisfaction for the greater good of many. The doctor was always glad to see more people able to change their ways.

The three in the jeep hopped out and met up with the two runners before they all ran over to greet Tanya and her coven, who had seen the Cullens arrive and moved to meet them.

Eleazar was the first to step forward and greet Carlisle, pulling his old friend into a hug.

"We missed you at the last game my friend."

"Yes," Carlisle replies. "I had a medical conference back in Seattle. In fact I have another one in a couple days. How have you been? It's been a few years."

"Yes it has. Other than your family defeating us in this game last week, things have been quite well."

His mate Carmen stepped up to his side.

"Hola Carlisle."

"Carmen." He greeted her with a tilt of his head.

She smiled at him as she tugged Eleazar away.

"You will excuse me Carlisle if I steal mi amor away. He forgets that it takes longer for those of us who are wiser in years to warm up."

Carlisle grinned and waved them off as Tanya and her sisters walked over, each giving him a warm hug.

"Where have you been doc?" Kate asked with a smirk.

"Indeed." Tanya added. "You left for your conference before we could come to your house and say hello."

"Sorry," he replied, somewhat chagrined. "It was exceedingly short notice. It's good to see you though. How have you been?"

"Quite well, especially since you sent our new friend." Tanya replied, gesturing to Laurent, who noticed being pointed out and strode over.

"Carlisle," he said jovially, shaking the doctor's hand firmly. He was noticeably more at ease now than he had been with Victoria and James.

"Laurent," Carlisle said with a smile. "It's good to see you. It seems you've taken well to our diet." He said, noticing the man's hazel eyes.

Laurent nodded.

"It's less filling but more fulfilling in the long run. It is nice not having to constantly be on the move."

The blonde nodded in agreement and opened his mouth to respond, when Alice shouted "It's time guys!"

Carlisle grinned at the vampires standing in front of him.

"I hope you enjoy defeat."

Kate smirked.

"Likewise, because we bat first."

She and her sisters took off to home plate with Laurent to meet up with Eleazar, who apparently was hitting first.

Carmen and Esme stood together behind Jasper, who was catching for the Cullens, deciding to keep the game fair rather than add to the chaos.

Alice took her place on the make-shift pitchers mound as Emmett and Rosalie ran out to take their places in the outfield, leaving Carlisle to his usual spot at shortstop.

Eleazar stepped up to the plate, bat in hand and dropped into his stance. Alice turned around to make sure her teammates were in position and then began her first wind-up.

Emmett grinned from his position in right field.

"Game on!"

* * *

Woo! there it was. lovely chapter. i'm still not entirely happy with it. that last bit is still bothering me, but i'll let you guys decide whether or not i'm just being paranoid. i haven't had philosophical questions in like 10 chapters. i apologize. i seriously haven't come up with any good ones. i'll think on it this week and try and come up with something. i promise. but back to business, thanks for reading and please review!


	28. Chapter 28

AN!:Hey guys! glad you all liked the last chapter and decided i was just being paranoid about that last section. This is the epic convo that some of you have been waiting for. But not the edward one, so don't get too excited. but anywho, i'll just leave you to it. enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 28

I grinned happily as Emmett parked the jeep and we all hopped out to walk back inside.

"Once again we soundly thrashed the Denalis." Alice said smugly. "We really need to find a coven that will present an actual challenge."

Jasper smiled.

"I don't think there is one, darlin'."

Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Of course there isn't. Even the volturi couldn't put together a team that would rival ours." He boasted as we all sat down in the living room to relive the victory.

Esme shook her head at our antics.

"You played well today, but I was worried in the beginning after Eleazar's home run."

Rose snorted.

"His wasn't even close to Carlisle's." She said, turning to look at me. "I've never seen you hit one that far. It took Tanya easily a minute to chase it down and we'd all rounded the bases by then."

I chuckled, recalling it clearly. It was the 3rd inning and the score was tied at 7 runs apiece. I stepped up to the plate and eyed Kate evenly at the mound. She grinned and threw her first pitch. I caught it and threw it back, laughing at the look on her face. At that moment a breeze swept from the direction of the jeep past me, carrying Bella's scent with it. I inhaled deeply and then swung, making perfect contact with the ball and watching it soar into the distance. My family had all united in whoops and cheers as I rounded the bases.

Emmett's booming voice brought me back to the present,

"No kidding pops. That was a hell of a hit. And I thought _I_ was the strong one."

Alice smirked at her brother.

"I thought you were the dense one."

Esme pursed her lips disapprovingly, but let the comment slide. She knew as well as I that Emmett and Alice were impossible to control.

I looked around at the smiles that seemed contagious and I was reluctant to change that. I had to tell them the truth about Bella at some point though. I couldn't keep putting it off. I would be in a plane back to Forks in the morning,

Alice's eyes glazed over and then refocused, diverting my attention from my current internal struggle. She looked over at me meaningfully.

"Now, Carlisle."

I tensed immediately, which alerted Esme to the situation. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently in support.

"Do it now Carlisle. You won't get a better opportunity."

I nodded in reluctant agreement.

Rosalie, who had been quietly watching the whole exchange, was the first to speak up.

"What's going on dad?"

I sighed.

"There is one more thing that I need to tell you."

Emmett raised his eyebrows.

"Another thing? Why didn't you tell us yesterday?"

"It's a different issue altogether son. More serious than the first. Not bad, just serious."

"You can tell us dad." Rose said earnestly.

I smiled.

"I know Kitty. However, I would like your word that you will allow me to finish my part before you voice your opinions."

"Course pops." Emmett agreed, his curiosity growing by the second.

"Okay," I began. "First of all, I need to let you know that I have been lying to most of you for a few months now. But before I explain that I need to tell you my reasoning.

"When Edward forced us to leave Forks, I requested to see Bella first to make certain that she would be able to survive without us. When I arrived at her house she was almost completely nonresponsive. I had to coax her into speaking and then sleeping. I was quite reluctant to leave her in that state, but Edward gave me no option.

"And it turns out that I was right. Chief Swan e-mailed me a month later to inform me that Bella was barely eating and hardly sleeping. I began communicating with her, hoping that that would help her, and it did for a time. I knew that Edward would not be happy if he found out though, and he was due to come home, so we had to stop talking. Another month went by and I received a second e-mail from Charlie. Unlike before, she'd lost the will to maintain her grades and work. She'd stopped eating and lost immense amounts of weight and according to Charlie she didn't even look alive most days. I wanted to e-mail her again, but Edward's arrival was still unknown, so I did nothing until Alice cornered me."

I smiled at her as she grinned back at me.

"Alice had a vision of Bella dying and practically forced me onto a plane back to Forks. When I got there I found Bella unconscious, having fainted due to severe emaciation. I spent a few days with her, nursing her back to health. She is a lot better now. She's eating and sleeping again. I believe that she's also finally over Edward, which will be good for her. You all know that I would never speak ill of my family, but he wasn't good for her. He has a lot to learn."

I let this information sink in as neither Emmett nor Rose knew anything, and there were pieces of the story that not even Esme, Jasper, and Alice knew.

With about as much reserve as usual, Emmett spoke up.

"So, you ignored my kid brother and went back to Forks to save his ex? I don't see a problem. That was your big news?"

I shook my head.

"No, that's just the beginning. The news won't be as easy to understand or to accept, but I need you to trust me and remember that I have always put the good of the family first."

The wary look that Rose gave me almost caused me to just stop and give up on the entire conversation, but Jasper sent a wave of confidence towards me at the same moment that Esme reached over and squeezed my hand reassuringly, and I knew that I had to keep going.

"While I was in Forks taking care of Bella, we became very good friends. I helped her to regain her health and to get over Edward and she helped me with a few things as well. She's a remarkable human."

Rosalie snorted, which gained her a glare from Esme.

"Kitty," I sighed, "you cannot judge that which you do not know. You never really gave her a chance, and I understand your reasoning, but you can't let it cloud your perceptions. Let go of your misconceptions for a moment?"

She pursed her lips but nodded in resigned agreement.

"Thank you." I said with a small smile. "Now, as I was saying, Bella is an amazing individual. Completely selfless and incredibly rational and intuitive. In less than a week she knew more about me than most could hope to learn in a year. But, to get to the point, something happened while I was in Forks, and as a direct cause of that, I'll be headed back tomorrow morning."

"Wait, what?" Emmett interrupted.

"Why?" Rose asked.

Bluntness seemed the best course of action.

"I'm going back because I fell in love with Bella, and I intend to court her."

As predicted, Rose blew up.

"You must be joking, because there can't possibly be a way for you to have fallen for that human as well! This is ridiculous. You're putting your family at risk, and for what? A plaything that will last you maybe a decade or two if you can maintain control? I thought you of all people would know better."

"Rosalie!" Esme exclaimed, shocked at the words of our daughter.

"What?" She shouted back. "You know I'm right! You all do."

I had been studying the floor during her impassioned speech, unable to see the look in her eyes. I hated to hurt my family, especially my little girl.

"No," I heard Alice say quietly. "You aren't right this time. I've seen the path that their decisions will lead them on and it is one of happiness. The family will grow stronger. The only reason it might fall apart is due to you and your inability to control your temper. Carlisle has been the happiest I've seen him in years and in one minute look what you've done."

I looked up as Alice finished, and caught Rose's glance in my direction. Her gaze softened slightly as she noticed my diminished demeanor.

Jasper gently added his opinion.

"Rose, I know you want every member of your family to be happy, and Bella makes Carlisle happy. She completes him in the same way Emmett completes you and Alice completes me. Her humanity should not affect your opinion of her."

Emmett turned to his wife and grabbed her hand, squeezing it lightly.

"He's right babe."

Esme nodded when Rosalie looked at her, trying to get the last member of the family on her side, but they were all on mine, supporting my love for Bella.

I watched the fire disappear from her eyes as she realized that she couldn't win this one, but that wasn't good enough for me. I could never live with myself knowing that she would never accept Bella.

"Kitty," I said softly. "I understand your objections, your concerns, but in this case they have no basis in truth. Alice has seen no problems, Jasper has given you an accurate description of my feelings, and even Esme, who has the most right to be upset, is happy for me. But despite all of that I still need to know that you'll accept Bella and I. Just give her a chance. I promise that you will not be disappointed."

She eyed me levelly, contemplating my words, and then sighed.

"If the human makes you happy then I can't argue. I don't know what kind of blessing you're looking for out of me, but you have it."

I smiled, standing and walking over to her to hug her gently.

"Thank you kiddo."

"But," She said as she pulled away. "I have one condition."

"Name it."

"You have to take me with you to Forks. I can't judge what I don't know, right?"

"Right." I agreed cautiously.

"Then I'd better start learning." She finished.

I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Okay okay. I'll get online and get another ticket for you. Or is this going to be a family vacation?"

Alice grinned.

"Sounds good to me."

I rolled my eyes.

"All in favor?"

Everyone raised their hand.

I laughed outright this time.

"Okay, I'll get a lot of plane tickets then. But before I do that I'd better call Bella. She was as worried as I."

"Why?" Esme asked curiously.

"She's…afraid of Rosalie." I admitted, earning a small grin from the blonde in question.

"Seriously?" Emmett asked incredulously. "Nice!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Indeed. I'll be back in a little while. Don't wait up."

Emmett waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Have fun pops,"

I just shook my head and walked out of the room and into the backyard. I had to make a phone call.

* * *

No POV at all.

Bella was finishing the last of her lunch and chatting aimlessly with Angela and Ben when her phone went off rather loudly, startling her and half of the table she was sitting at. She smiled sheepishly as she pulled it out and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Miss me?" Carlisle's voice asked smoothly.

Bella grinned.

"Always."

"Good. So what are you up to?"

"Just finishing lunch. How about you?"

"I just told the family about us. I assumed you'd want to know how it went."

"You definitely assumed right. Spill."

He chuckled.

"Well, Esme took it extremely well. She is happy for the both if us. You already knew that Alice and Jasper are of the same opinion as Esme. Emmett took it in stride as expected.

"And Rosalie?" Bella asked worriedly.

"Initially she didn't take it well at all, but Alice and Jasper said a few things and Emmett and Esme agreed with them, so Rose had to stop and re-evaluate. She wants me to be happy, and since Jasper has vouched for my happiness, she begrudgingly gave her blessing."

Bella sighed in relief.

"Thank God."

Carlisle laughed.

"I know. I was a little worried too. But anyway, on another note, Rosalie started a revolution of sorts."

Bella's eyebrows furrowed.

"Want to say that again in plain English?"

He chuckled.

"She wants to come back with me to Forks and give you a real chance this time, which is quite impressive for her."

Bella was stunned.

"Wait, so she's coming here? With you?"

"Yes, and she's not the only one. The whole family is coming too. I joked about a family vacation and Alice jumped at the idea, so instead of just me, you get all of us."

Bella just shook her head in amazement.

"I don't know what to say."

"You could always fake some excitement."

"No, no. I really am excited. I haven't seen any of them in so long. I just can't believe they all wanted to come."

"Neither can I, but for better or for worse we'll all be back tomorrow afternoon."

"Well it's a good thing that I don't have work then. And it'll be the weekend, which means I'll probably end up getting dragged to Port Angeles by Alice."

"I'd save you if I could. Maybe I can convince her to let me carry the bags."

Bella laughed.

"Even for you that'll be difficult. Alice has no limits when shopping."

"Believe me, I know. She's dragged me along before when she decided that my wardrobe needed an upgrade. I didn't know it was possible to shop that long."

"It is for Alice."

"Evidently."

"Yeah, but anyway, the bell is about to ring and my class in on the other side of campus, so I'd better go."

"Yes, we can't have you late on my account now can we?"

Bella grinned.

"Definitely not."

"Well, have fun without me because you won't be able to get rid of me tomorrow."

"That's not even remotely threatening."

Carlisle chuckled.

"No, it really isn't. You'd better get to class though."

"Yeah, I know I'm glad everything went well with the family. I'll see you tomorrow when you pick me up from school."

"I'll be there. Now you'd better go."

"Okay okay. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye Bella."

"Bye Carlisle."

She flipped the phone closed, smiling happily until she noticed the looks Angela and Ben were giving her.

She rolled her eyes.

"Very funny guys. Come on. Let's go. The bell is about to ring."

Angela grinned at Ben knowingly, but they both stood, grabbed their trays, and followed Bella out of the cafeteria just as the bell began to ring.

* * *

Woo! chappie completed. okay, so i don't have a philosophical question for you, but i have one from one of your lovely reviewers, so i'll throw it up here and you can do with it what you will.  
Philosphical question #5?: "is it wrong to sleep with your uncle, even if he was adopted, and is not your biological uncle? what if you didnt know him as you grew up?"  
My answer to this is kinda split. i'd say that love is love, but at the same time it isn't a great situation. idk. i guess i really don't have a good answer. lol. sorry.

Anywho, have fun with the question. And please review. i love your long-winded and very epic comments thoughts and opinions! they make my day!  
Hasta!  
-The Author WMEN


	29. Chapter 29

AN!:Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. Woulda had this up last night, but naturally i was in line at walmart at midnight for the dvd release. I felt very mature in line next to the largest group of 10-year olds i've ever seen. And the deleted scene with Carlisle and Esme...wow. just wow. I had to watch it twice and i'll probably watch it again tonight. it's amazing. Anywho, this is a really short chapter. I apologize about that, but it just didn't seem right to let it flow into the next one which should be up tomorrow night hopefully. So, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 29

Carlisle's POV

The rest of the day at the Cullen house was spent hunting and packing in preparation for the trip to Forks.

I was done quicker than the rest of the family though, as I already had a bag of clothing waiting for me back in Forks. After I set my new bag by the front door I had a slightly problematic thought and jogged upstairs to the master suite where Esme was neatly packing her own suitcase.

"Hey," She said, smiling as I walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Have you finished packing already?"

I nodded.

"Didn't take long because I didn't need as much. I left the last suitcase there since I didn't need it here anyway. Of course if Alice gets a hold of my bag, my work will have been fairly useless."

Esme chuckled lightly.

"I'm having the same thoughts, which is probably why it's taking me so long. I'm about ready for a break though, so what's up?"

"I had a thought a minute ago. We brought all of our furniture with us, so the house in Washington will be rather empty with the exception of the bed and a couple of our older cars. I know we don't need much technically speaking, but it might be wise to either send a few things back of make a very quick shopping trip when we arrive."

"So no taking Alice then?" She joked.

I shook my head amusedly.

"Definitely not."

She thought for a moment.

"How about we do both? Ship some pieces back and buy a few new ones in Forks. That way we can make a decision later about where we'll stay on a more permanent basis."

I nodded.

"Good idea. But why do I have the sneaking suspicion that you're only saying that because it gives you a chance to redecorate the house?"

Esme grinned.

"That's just an added bonus."

I chuckled.

"Evidently. Well, I'll leave you to it then." I said, checking my watch. It was 8 o'clock in the evening. Bella would be done with work by now.

I sighed.

Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

Esme's light laugh interrupted my thought process/

"Counting down the hours until we board the plane?"

I smiled sheepishly.

"It's definitely possible."

She opened her mouth, probably to tease me, but the ringing of my cell cut her off.

"Saved by the bell." I chuckled, flipping the phone open.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Bella said gently. "I know we just talked this afternoon but I missed the sound of your voice already."

I closed my eyes as I responded.

"And I yours. In all my years I've never felt so impatient."

Bella laughed softly.

"Neither have I, but I'm pretty sure your 363 beats my 18."

"Only by a little."

"You're biased." Bella joked.

I heard a door open and shut and smiled, knowing that Esme had gone to pack in the bathroom to give me my semblance of privacy.

"Most definitely." I said with a grin. "So how was work?"

"Good. John let me help him take apart and rebuild a transmission."

I chuckled.

"You're turning into a grease monkey."

She laughed.

"I guess I am. Will you still love me all covered in grease?"

"More than you know."

I heard Bella's sharp intake of breath at my statement.

"I love you." She said breathily.

"I love you more." I said, grinning as I used her usual line.

She snorted.

"Completely impossible. You haven't seen yourself in the sunlight."

"And you haven't seen yourself in my eyes." I shot back.

I could imagine her shaking her head despite the truth in my statement. She was incredibly stubborn, but that only made my resolve stronger. One day I would prove to her how beautiful she is. But until then it was best to just keep going.

"So," I continued. "I forgot to ask earlier. How was your talk with Charlie last night?"

"It went surprisingly well actually. He didn't have any real questions for me. And I think you talking to him first helped. Apparently he's susceptible to chivalry."

I chuckled.

"It's a good thing I'm old enough to have learned the art then."

"Definitely. I think he was just worried about a repeat of Edward. I informed him that this time things are different."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Out of curiosity, how so?"

"Well," She said thoughtfully. "I feel safe with you and I feel loved, which is something I doubted constantly when I was with Edward. One of the more important differences to me is that I know you respect me and you have never lied to me. Edward always skirted around the facts, not trusting me enough to tell me anything, including a few things that directly involved me."

"Is that all?" I teased gently.

"No," She said honestly. "There are a lot of other things, but humans do need sleep, so listing them all will have to be put on hold. I'll give you one more though."

"Which is?" I asked curiously.

"I love you." She answered. "I don't know that I ever truly loved Edward, but I do know that comparing what my feelings were for him and what they are for you would be like comparing a pebble to a mountain. There's no contest."

I sighed happily at her words.

"Bella, you give me such a sense of completion and joy that I have never felt before. I'm counting the seconds until I can hold you in my arms again."

"So am I." She replied.

Moments later I broke the comfortable silence that had lingered.

"Well, I'd better make sure Alice approves what I've packed to bring with me to Forks, and I'm sure you have homework."

She groaned.

"Thanks for reminding me."

I chuckled.

"Happy to help."

"Yeah yeah." She muttered before sighing. "Okay, go finish packing. God knows how much time Alice will spend unpacking and repacking your suitcase."

"All the while telling me that I shouldn't be allowed to dress myself. Should be fun." I joked.

She laughed.

"I'm sure you'll have a ball. And I'll go do my homework. It'll give me something to do other than count down the time until tomorrow."

"Good. I'll be there when you get out of school. I promise."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes you will. I love you Bella."

"I love you more." She said, getting her revenge for my use of it earlier.

I chuckled.

"Impossible. Sleep tight Bella."

"Good night Carlisle."

I hung up the phone, smiling with new life.

Esme stepped out of the bathroom with her own small smile.

"You heard everything, didn't you?" I noted wryly.

"Not intentionally." She replied apologetically. "I couldn't really help it."

"It's alright. I've grown accustomed to having very little privacy."

She nodded in understanding.

"If the rest of the family didn't hear you, Edward would."

"Exactly. It's not all bad, but there was always a time I would wish for an easier way to avoid his probing. I was never as good as Alice at blocking my thoughts, and I hated him knowing that I was keeping something from him."

"It's natural to not want to hurt your children. I feel the same way."

I smiled.

"I know you do, and that's why you are a wonderful mother."

She gave me a grateful look. I knew she loved her kids with whatever soul we vampires had left.

"Thank you Carlisle."

I squeezed her shoulder lightly.

"Not at all. Now, as I told Bella, I'd better go make sure Alice approves my choices. That's bound to take a while, and I'm not going to miss the flight."

She grinned.

"You're kinda cute when you're worried about getting back to Forks."

I rolled my eyes.

"Hush. And keep packing. Alice will be after you next."

She chuckled.

"Whatever you say."

I shook my head and walked out, intending to go get my bag and let Alice go through it, but she was way ahead of me.

"Carlisle, do I really have to pick all of your outfits out for you? I thought you were supposed to be the parent here…"

I groaned internally.

_And now these next few hours are going to feel even longer. Lovely._

_

* * *

_

Okay. I think that went well. Not the greatest most action-packed chapter, but necessary to keep the ball rolling. but don't worry. Well get back on track with the next one.

You guys had so much fun with that last philosophical question that i got another random one for you.  
Phil Question #6: So, let's assume that you were completely in love with your best friend for like 2 years and they told you they didn't like you back in the beginning and again in the end. So you decide it's time to get over them. Why exactly do you still not like anyone else? Why doesn't anyone else catch your eye? seems odd, right? Have at it! lol.

And once again thank you all for the reviews. i love em, especially the epicly sized ones. You guys keep me going.  
ttyl!  
-The author. Whose name is kristi. or Big red. nah, let's just go with kristi. :)


	30. Chapter 30

AN!:Wow. sorry guys. I said sunday and it's now Wednesday that i'm posting this. i fail. epicly. and it's not bueno. i apologize profusely. Anyway, i like this chapter, and i hope you guys will too. leave me lots of uber-long reviews! i love them!

* * *

Chapter 30

Carlisle's POV

I was right. Those few hours ended up feeling more like a few days. Alice had completely unpacked and repacked not only my suitcase, but most of Esme's as well. To my credit though, I did manage a small amount of say in what she chose.

I had been antsy all morning, much to the amusement of everyone. I checked and rechecked not only the flight departure time, but also the arrival time and the location of the cars and furniture that I'd arranged to have shipped overnight. Esme and Alice had to keep reassuring me that everything was fine and Jasper was constantly sending waves of calm over me to override the anxiety that kept trying to sneak up and take hold.

But despite my worry, we made our plane with time to spare, and everything was going smoothly. There hadn't even been an ounce of turbulence during the entire flight. It didn't ease my fears in the least though. I wanted to be in Forks as quickly as possible and very little would stop me.

"Carlisle," Esme said gently from the seat next to me. "Remaining inconspicuous will be much more difficult if you crush the armrest."

I looked down and was startled to see that she was right. I let go immediately and smiled sheepishly over at her.

She chuckled.

"It's okay, but you really shouldn't worry. We touch down in Seattle in half an hour. Just soon enough to arrive in Forks right as the high school lets out."

I nodded.

"Are you going to re-enroll the kids while we're here?"

"I'm not sure yet." She admitted. "It would be pointless if we aren't staying, but even if we are, they can make up the work later. I'll leave the decision to them. The only one going back would be Alice actually. Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper technically already graduated."

Alice poked her head around our seats.

I laughed.

"Yes Alice?"

She grinned.

"I'd like to finish out the year with Bella."

Esme smiled.

"I'll re-enroll you when we drop Carlisle off to pickup Bella."

"Thanks mom!" She said happily before she ducked back into her seat next to Jasper.

I chuckled.

"That solves that problem."

Esme shook her head in amusement.

"Indeed."

The rest of the flight was quick and easy as the brunette next to me kept a steady flow of conversation going to distract me from my impatience. It seemed like moments later that the stewardess's voice came over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen we will be landing in Seattle in a few minutes. Please fold up your trays and move your seats back into their upright position, and thank you for flying with American Airlines. We hope to see you again soon."

I let out a relieved sigh.

_Bella, I'll be there soon. _

_

* * *

_

Bella's POV

I tapped my foot against the floor impatiently, staring at the clock on the wall, willing it to go faster. It quite obviously wasn't convinced though. If it was going any slower it would be in reverse.

"Could this class be going any slower?" I muttered to Angela, who was sitting next to me as we listened to our government teacher drone on.

She smirked.

"Impatient much, Bella?"

I stuck my tongue out childishly.

"Maybe a little."

She just shook her head.

"There's like 5 minutes left in class. And for the record, the clock **is** moving. You'll survive."

"That's debatable." I argued stubbornly.

She chuckled.

"You have to survive if you want to see your knight in shining armor."

I brightened immediately at the thought, which only made her laugh more.

"Can't wait, huh?"

"Nope. I'm never letting him leave town without me again. It's bad for my health."

"He's a doctor, Bella. I doubt He'll buy that one."

I shrugged.

"I'll come up with something."

Just then the bell finally rang.

I jumped to my feet, my bag already packed, and headed quickly for the door with Angela struggling to keep up with me.

"Wait up Bella!"

I shook my head as I kept heading quickly for the parking lot.

_Sorry Ang, but nothing can stop me now._

* * *

The Cullens pulled into the parking lot seconds before the bell rang. Carlisle didn't waste a second as he hopped out of the car and began scanning the parking lot for Bella. The other Cullens got out as well, but not nearly as enthusiastically as the patriarch.

"Front door, 6 seconds Carlisle." Alice said from behind him.

His gaze shifted as he waited for the door to open, and when it did his face lit up immediately.

He grinned as he watched her turn her head from side to side frantically as she looked for him. Her friend Angela came up behind her and took her bag. Bella looked confused until the brunette pointed to Carlisle, who simply continued to smile at her from in front of his family.

She grinned and took off, running perilously fast down the steps towards him.

He laughed and was hard-pressed to maintain a human speed as he sprinted to meet her halfway, and chuckled as she launched herself into his arms. She laughed happily as he swung her around in a circle, only setting her down to pull her lips to his.

The Cullens and half of the school watched the two kiss, most of them unsure how to react, but that didn't matter to Bella or Carlisle.

They finally broke apart reluctantly a few seconds later when they remembered that they were in the middle of a high school parking lot. Bella blushed and hid her face in Carlisle's chest, hopelessly trying to avoid the staring from all around her.

He chuckled.

"I've missed you Bella."

"Me too." She responded quietly.

He smiled.

"Were these past couple of days as long for you?"

"Longer. You're never allowed to leave ever again."

He laughed softly.

"Me leaving again is one thing you won't have to worry about anymore."

"Good."

Carlisle let his hand trail down her arm lightly and then laced his fingers with hers.

"Come on," he said, tugging gently on her hand. "I'm pretty sure a few of the family would love to tackle you about now. Might as well get it over with."

Bella bit her lip nervously as she glanced at all of the Cullens.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Carlisle dropped a reassuring kiss on her cheek.

"It'll be okay. I promise. Come on."

She nodded reluctantly and let him lead her over to the group of vampires standing gracefully outside of their car.

Alice ran forward first.

"Hey Bella!" She said, hugging her lightly. "I've missed you! How have you been?"

Bella smirked.

"Like you don't know."

Alice just shrugged innocently before letting Emmett through. The largest Cullen grinned and picked her up easily, giving her a very tight bear hug.

"Bella!" He exclaimed happily. "Where have you been little sister?"

Esme shook her head.

"Emmett, let the girl breathe."

He set Bella back down on the ground sheepishly.

"Sorry."

She waved him away.

"I'm used to it."

Rosalie almost cracked a small smile, but she remained where she was as Jasper stepped forward from beside her.

"Bella," he began. "I can't begin to express how sorry I am for what happened on your birthday. I will completely understand if you never want to see me again."

The brunette looked over at Alice, who nodded having seen no problem resulting from it, and stepped forward to hug the blonde gently.

"It's not your fault Jasper." She whispered before stepping back into Carlisle's arms.

"Besides," She said with a grin. "If that hadn't happened, I wouldn't be where I am right now."

Carlisle chuckled and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"What am I going to do with you?"

Emmett smirked.

"Do you need me to draw you a map, Pops?"

Bella blushed as Esme reached up and smacked her son in the back of the head.

"What?" He asked innocently.

His mother eyed him evenly.

"You know very well what."

He rolled his eyes and returned to Rosalie's side, throwing an arm around her and watching as Esme stepped forward.

This was the person Bella was the most nervous for. She truly loved her adoptive mother and she was afraid that she had lost that bond by falling for Carlisle.

The blonde in question released Bella and nudged her forward a little, which she complied with cautiously, eyes on the ground.

Esme looked at Carlisle, concerned with Bella's behavior.

He smiled and spoke in a tone so low only the vampires would hear it.

"She's worried she's hurt you by loving me. She sees you as a maternal figure in her life and is afraid that by stealing me away she's lost that relationship with you."

Esme's gaze softened as she stepped forward and pulled the brunette into her arms.

"Bella, you have nothing to worry about."

Her face lit up with a smile as she hugged Esme back tightly.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Not at all, sweetheart."

Carlisle watched them embrace, happy for the both of them. His family was finally putting itself back together. The two let go moments later and Bella returned to his arms with a contented sigh.

And then all eyes shifted to Rosalie as the blonde took a very small step forward.

"I," She began. "I'm glad that Carlisle is happy."

The Cullen patriarch looked at her with a grateful smile.

"Thank you Rosalie." He said, knowing that saying even that was hard for her.

She nodded and then returned to Emmett's side.

Esme took the opportunity to speak up.

"Well, I'm going to run up to the office and re-enroll Alice and then we're going to head up to Port Angeles to shop for furniture. Are you two coming with us?"

Carlisle looked down at Bella, silently asking her the same question.

She shrugged.

"Sure. I just need to let Charlie know."

"Okay," Esme replied. "Why don't you two do that while I go finish up Alice's paperwork and we'll meet beck at the house to make a list of what we need."

"Okay," Carlisle agreed as he steered me towards the Mercedes. "We'll see you in 20 minutes."

The Cullens headed into the school as Carlisle and Bella walked over to the car where Angela and Ben were waiting with Bella's bag.

"Thanks Ang." She said with a sheepish grin as she took it back.

"No problem. Hi Dr. Cullen."

Carlisle smiled.

"Miss Webber." He said, greeting her. "And?" He turned to Ben.

"Ben Cheney sir."

"Nice to meet you Ben, and please, call me Carlisle."

They both nodded.

"Well, I have to go talk to Charlie. I'll see you guys Monday." Bella said.

They waved and started walking away.

"Bye Bella. Carlisle." Angela called over her shoulder.

"Bye Ang. Bye Ben." Bella responded as Carlisle opened the passenger door for her.

She got in and waited for him to settle into the driver's seat.

"To Charlie's" He asked as he pulled the Mercedes out of the parking lot.

Bella nodded.

"Yep. I want to change and drop off all of my school books. And he'd probably like to know where I'm going and why I won't exactly be home early."

Carlisle smirked.

"Especially not since we're bringing Alice."

Bella groaned.

"Keep her away from the clothing stores, will you?"

He chuckled.

"That would be about as effective as you arm-wrestling Emmett."

"Cute." Bella shot back.

He just continued to laugh as he coaxed the car into going faster and faster.

They got back to Chief Swan's house in good time and Bella leaned over and pecked Carlisle on the lips quickly.

"I'll be out in 5 minutes."

He nodded in agreement as she got out and hurried in the front door.

"Hey dad!" She shouted over her shoulder as she jogged upstairs. "Be right back."

She ran into her room and tossed her schoolbag on the bed before turning to her closet. He knew Alice would be scrutinizing her outfit, so she chose carefully, pulling out her one and only pair of designer jeans, a green silk blouse and naturally, Carlisle's jacket, throwing them on along with a classic pair of Chuck Taylor's. She walked back downstairs at a calmer pace, only to find Carlisle in the living room chatting amiably with Charlie.

She rolled her eyes.

"So much for waiting in the car." She muttered, knowing full-well that he would hear her. And he did, the corners of his lips quirking up slightly as he met her gaze.

She just shook her head and walked over to his side, leaning in and fitting neatly under the arm he placed around her waist.

"So, did you tell Charlie the plan?"

"No actually," He responded. "I thought that you had."

She shook her head.

"Nope. It's all you."

Carlisle rolled his eyes before looking back up at Chief Swan.

"Well Charlie, my family came with me to Forks but it wasn't a planned trip and we ended up leaving most of our furniture behind, so our house is fairly sparse right now. We were planning on heading up to Port Angeles about now and everyone would love for Bella to come with us. If that's alright with you of course."

Charlie nodded, not seeing that harm in a family outing.

"Sure. Just have her back at a reasonable hour."

The blonde smiled.

"Of course. I'll have her home before ten. I don't want to make a prediction as to what definite time it'll be though as I'm not completely sure myself. We **are** taking Alice."

Charlie chuckled, having heard my shopping horror stories before.

"Alright. Have fun Bella."

She grinned.

"I will as long as Alice doesn't get a hold of me. See you later dad."

The chief just nodded and waved them out the door.

"Nice outfit." Carlisle said with a smile as he opened the passenger side door for her.

Bella grinned.

"Thanks, but we'd better go see if Alice agrees with you."

He smirked as he pulled the car back onto the main road.

"Indeed. Your wish is my command."

* * *

AN!: Okay, there it is. Bella and Carlisle are finally back together. yay! lol. i know you guys liked that. you were all asking me when it would happen. and it finally did. success!

Phil Question #7: I got this one from another reviewer. So here is the question and then i'll throw in my answer at the bottom...:  
If you like somebody and they like you back, but you haven't done anything together because of busy schedules and whatnot, are you and them still technically 'together'? or are you just friends or acquaintances until you actually do something? And what if you and them were gonna hang out one night but you were still sick even though you felt better but your parents would not let you until you were 100%, and they sounded upset and didn't say a word in any form, online, phone, or otherwise, but didn't sound like they cared you were sick in a boyfriend or girlfriend sort of way, then what do you do?  
wow. um...i'd say that you aren't really together until one of you asks the other out. but that's just me. and if this person cares about you they shouldn't be getting upset with you over a decision that was out of your hands. I can understand a little annoyance at your parents, but not at you. but i think you;ll get through it. it's a pretty small argument in my opinion. just be willing to listen to one another and not get on each others case.

Okay, there it is. thank you for reading my chapter. i love you guys. we hit 1000 reviews. i can believe it. i really can't. i am so blessed to have all of you filling up my inbox every time i post a chapter. i mean it. You guys are amazing. anywho, i gtg. ttyl!  
-Kristi


	31. Chapter 31

AN!: Hey guys. I seriously suck this time. I had kind of a lazy weekend and in addition to that I hadn't actually finished the chapter by Friday, so I spent Friday and Saturday finishing the chapter and I had a few things to do on Sunday, so I started typing on Monday (yesterday) and then my laptop crashed. Lovely. So I got my dad to perform a miracle. He's a Jedi master in computers. No joke. So finally I got this sucker to function again, but I had to retype the chapter, which I just finished during my philosophy class. So, I hope you guys understand how epic this fail was and give me a little less crap for it than you might have. So, with no more ado whatsoever (because I'm afraid something else will go wrong) here is the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 31

Bella's POV

Carlisle pulled the car into the garage at his house and we both got out and walked inside, where the rest of the Cullens were organizing the few pieces of furniture that were there.

I turned to Carlisle with a raised eyebrow.

"Where did all of this furniture come from? None of it was here last week."

He nodded.

"No, it wasn't. We shipped it overnight from the house in Alaska actually, but we left a few things there just in case, hence the shopping trip."

"In case of what?" I asked curiously.

Carlisle frowned, trying to figure out how to word his response and, noticing his reluctance, Esme walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"There is a reason we left the piano in Alaska." She said gently.

"Oh." I responded.

I had almost forgotten about Edward. His not being in my life had seemingly become a part of my new life now. I wondered what would happen if he came back.

Carlisle's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"Bella, are you alright?"

I nodded with a smile.

"I'm fine."

"Okay, well I'm going to run upstairs and change. Will you be okay down here?"

Esme rolled her eyes.

"She'll be fine."

"Yeah Carlisle, it's not like we bite or anything." Alice joked.

I grinned as Carlisle just shook his head and sprinted upstairs.

Alice took the opportunity to give me a once-over.

"I like the outfit," She said proudly. "But that jacket has got to go."

My eyes narrowed.

"Not gonna happen."

Jasper got a whiff of both the jacket and my emotions and looked over at his wife.

"Don't even think about it, Darlin'. She's quite serious, and I think the jacket is Carlisle's."

Alice smirked as my cheeks reddened.

"Yeah yeah. Poke fun at the silly human." I grumbled.

Carlisle leapt over the railing on the 2nd floor and landed neatly next to me before dropping a kiss on my cheek.

"You could never be merely a silly human."

I smiled at him and then that smile turned into a grin as I noticed what he was wearing. He had changed into a pair of dark jeans and the jacket I had given him, and on his feet were a pair of Chuck Taylor's identical to mine.

Alice rolled her eyes.

"What is it with you two and the jackets?"

Carlisle grinned over at me.

"It's not a jacket, it's a hostage."

The rest of the Cullens looked confused, so I explained.

"It's mine. He wanted a hostage of his own since I wouldn't give mine back."

Esme smiled and then began ushering everyone towards the garage.

"Time to go. We may not sleep, but the humans running the stores do."

"Which cars are we taking? And who is going in each car?" Carlisle asked, noting the size of the group

"Well, we need the extra space in the jeep, but it's up to you guys which other car we take." Esme replied.

Rosalie stepped forward.

"I'll take mine. It has more trunk space than dad's car."

I looked over at Carlisle just in time to catch the small smile that crept onto his lips at Rosalie's simple endearment. How had I missed this before? How had I not noticed such a strong bond between father and daughter? I guess I'd just been so caught up knowing that Rosalie hated me to see anything else.

"So," Carlisle said, turning to me. "Jeep or convertible?"

I shrugged.

"You pick."

He turned to his daughter.

"Kitty, do you mind?"

Rosalie gave me an even look before glancing back at her dad.

"Sure."

Esme saw the exchange and stepped over to put an arm lightly around my shoulders.

"I'll ride with you three."

Alice and Jasper nodded and followed Emmett to the front yard where the jeep was parked, and I let Carlisle lead me into the garage.

I eyed the climb I'd have to complete in order to get in to the backseat warily. It looked way too complicated for someone so clumsy and if there was one thing I didn't want to do, it was to hurt this car.

Carlisle noticed my hesitation and came up behind me, putting his hands on my waist.

"May I?" He asked, motioning towards the backseat.

I nodded gratefully and he picked me up and set me down gently in the backseat before hopping in beside me.

Esme rolled her eyes and got in the passenger seat by way of an actual door as Rosalie got in next to her and started the car. Seconds later we were zooming past Emmett's jeep, much to his very loud and apparent annoyance.

Carlisle chuckled.

"Nice Kitty."

She grinned at him in the rearview mirror.

"He'll be chasing me for miles."

Esme shook her head.

"That will make the road much safer."

Rosalie looked at her innocently.

"What? I won't hit any humans."

"I'm not worried about you hitting them. I'm worried about them hitting you." Esme replied wryly.

Rosalie just smiled and kept on driving. She and Emmett jockeyed for 1st place the entire way to Port Angeles as Esme sat resignedly in the front seat and Carlisle cheered her on from the back.

When I finally spied the mall off ramp, the two cars were even with one another on the two lanes of the freeway, the jeep in the outside position. Rosalie tried to speed up and dive in front of Emmett, but he sped up as well, causing her to curse under her breath as she missed the exit.

Before my brain could fully think things through, my mouth blurted out, "You can still catch up."

Rosalie raised an eyebrow as she eyed me in the mirror.

"How?"

I relayed the directions Ben had taught me that led down a small side street and dumped us out right next to the parking structure.

The blonde grinned as she spotted Emmett just making the turn into the mall parking lot and slammed her foot down on the pedal, shooting in front of him and fish-tailing into parking structure. I could hear some of his more colorful expletives from my place in the backseat of Rosalie's car.

We parked near the entrance to one of the bigger furniture stores and all hopped out of the car happily.

Carlisle kissed my cheek.

"You never cease to surprise me, Bella."

I smiled and shrugged as he turned to Rosalie and high-fived her enthusiastically.

"Nice driving, Kitty."

She smirked.

"Thanks."

The she looked at me. The smirk disappeared, replaced by an empty stare. I tried to stay calm as I waited for her eyes to fill with disapproval or loathing or something equally as painful to endure, but instead she simply maintained her gaze and slowly nodded once.

I sighed in relief. That was as close to approval as I was going to get right now and I was going to savor it. Carlisle took my hand and squeezed it gently as he smiled at his daughter, who rolled her eyes when she caught his expression.

Just then, Emmett pulled up next to us and got out of the jeep with a sour expression on his face.

Esme chuckled.

"Something the matter, son?"

Alice grinned.

"I told him that Rose was going to win."

"She missed the exit!" He protested. "I should've creamed her! How the heck did you get here so fast?"

"Bella knew a shortcut." Carlisle said happily as he let go of my hand and threw his arm around my shoulders proudly.

Emmett just continued to grumble unintelligibly as Jasper spoke up.

"I told you bro. You should never bet against Alice."

"How much does he owe you this time?" Carlisle asked curiously.

"500 bucks." Jasper said proudly.

I shook my head.

"You do know that Alice is going to blow through that in about 10 minutes, right?"

Jasper chuckled as Alice gave him an innocent look.

"Yes, but I'll still have my bragging rights."

I laughed.

"Good point."

I reached up and laced my fingers with those on the hand that was still dangling off of my shoulder.

Carlisle smiled fondly before looking back up at his family.

"Shall we?"

* * *

Carlisle's POV

Finding new pieces of furniture for the house was actually much easier than I had anticipated. The fact that most of the furniture that we'd shipped was used by all of us meant that all we needed to purchase were pieces for our own personal rooms and use. So to put it plainly, the many contrasting opinions in the family didn't have to attempt to come together nearly as often as they might have.

But I was learning that perhaps it might not have been as difficult as I'd originally thought. Bella had ended up gravitating to Esme's side and the two of them had easily picked out enough to finish furnishing the living room and the kitchen. Esme was delighted to find that the newest addition to our family was fairly good at interior decorating, and she took my Bella under her wing without a second thought.

I shook my head as the two of them gushed over a stylized vintage coffee table and decided it was time to intervene.

"Esme," I said smoothly as I snuck my arms around Bella's waist. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal your apprentice away. She needs to help me select a few things for the office."

Esme chuckled and waved us away as she turned to catch the salesman working with us to add the coffee table to our rapidly growing shopping cart.

Bella turned to me with a roll of her eyes.

"363 years and you still can't pick out your own furniture?"

I grinned and leaned in to steal a kiss.

"Haven't you noticed? I'm terribly hopeless without you."

She laughed.

"I'm pretty sure that it's the other way around. Nice try though. You're pretty cute when you're trying to seem helpless."

I cupped her cheek with my free hand.

"Oh, but I am. Without you I am utterly and completely helpless. Not a moment goes by that I don't wish that I could have you in my arms again. It makes functioning normally very difficult."

Bella sighed happily and turned her head to kiss my palm.

"I've never heard anyone speak as poetically as you do to me."

I chuckled.

"No one talks like that anymore, do they…"

"No," She replied. "But they should."

I smiled.

"Well, you can always count on me to remind you exactly how old I am."

She laughed and shook her head.

"Come on; let's go find some antiques worthy of the office of a definite senior citizen."

I grinned and squeezed her side in a spot that I knew was ticklish.

"Cheeky wench."

She smiled and leaned up to kiss my cheek.

"Only for you, babe."

I smirked.

"Babe?"

* * *

AN!: Alright. There it is. I know it isn't very dramatic or epic, but most of you said that you wanted a little more fluff, so I tossed some in for you. Don't worry though, I have a few plans for the next chapter. It won't be as calm as this one, but it should still be pretty good.

I'm still overwhelmed by the review count. I seriously don't know what I would do without all of you. I love checking my e-mail. I love getting your reviews, and I really do read each and every one of them. If I could I would fly all over the world and give each of you a hug…and a bag of funyuns. They are epic and very tasty. Ooo. And a bottle of grape soda. Mmmm. Okay, I'm gonna stop rambling now. I love you guys! Hasta!

-Kristi


	32. Chapter 32

AN!:WOW. I suck. Royally. I wanted to have this out over the weekend, but i've been oddly busy considering that fact that i'm on spring break. i literally just finished typing, so this is hot off the presses. I haven't even let my friend proofread, so there might be a few spelling errors here and there. anywho, i'll leave the detailed notes for then end. enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 32

Bella's POV

I loved having the Cullens back in Forks. With the exception of Angela, there was no one I cared for as much as my new family.

Everything had gone back to normal.

Emmett had gone back to teasing me non-stop, Esme was telling him to knock it off, Alice was back in school with me, Jessica was nagging me for gossip, and Mike was grumbling again; but this time it was about a different Cullen.

The Cullens had been back a week, and despite all the talk I had heard about them the first time around, you could tell that the town was glad to have them back. The Newtons had even offered me my job back at their store, but I was happy with John. He had taught me a lot in such a small amount of time, and he had given me a job despite the fact that he probably could have managed without me. Plus, he was so much easier to work with than Mike.

It was the weekend now though, and I had the day off. I'd gone up to a parts store in Port Angeles and gotten a few things that John had suggested to fix up the truck a little. Despite the fact that Carlisle drove me around for the most part, I couldn't abandon my baby.

I pulled the truck into the empty section of the garage that Carlisle had cleared out for me so I could work on the truck, and shut off the engine just as my door opened.

I chuckled as Carlisle picked me up out of the driver's seat and swung me around in a circle before setting me down and pulling me in for a heated kiss.

When he finally let me come up for air I grinned, catching my breath enough to say, "Hello to you too."

He smiled and leaned his forehead against mine.

"Hello."

"Miss me?" I teased.

"All day. Did you find the parts you were looking for?"

I nodded.

"Yep, and I almost tapped out my bank account in the process."

He shook his head.

"I wish you would've at least let me pitch in."

"I know, but I can't have you paying for everything."

"Why not? We have more money than we could ever need, and I have no one else to spoil." He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes.

"You're ridiculous. It's really okay. Plus, I need to be able to have some independence."

He sighed.

"If you insist, but I reserve the right to spontaneously shower you with flowers and/or presents."

I laughed.

"Okay okay, but only if they're reasonably priced."

He grinned cheekily.

"I promise nothing."

Then he looked down at his watch and frowned.

"I have to go in to the hospital in a few minutes. There are a few surgeries that require my attention. I'll be back in a couple hours though, and the rest of the family is inside if you need anything. Esme stocked the kitchen for you."

I blushed.

"She didn't have to."

"She wanted to. Besides, we can't have you going home hungry everyday. Might seem odd to Charlie."

I nodded.

"I guess you're right. Anyway, you'd better go."

He nodded.

"Alright. Have fun. I promise I'll be home as quickly as possible."

I smiled.

"Go save lives."

He grinned and kissed me quickly.

"I love you."

"Love you too, now go!"

He turned and sprinted out to his car in the blink of an eye. I shook my head as I heard the engine rev and then get farther and farther away.

I turned back to the truck and took a deep breath.

"Alright baby, time to regain some horsepower."

* * *

Bella spent a good hour or so tinkering around in her truck, replacing the carburetor and the starter and changing the oil as well as greasing and polishing everything she could reach. Overall she felt she'd done a good job and couldn't help feeling a little proud of her accomplishment, until she tried to start the engine. It refused to turn over.

She checked and double checked everything she could think of, but wasn't able to find the problem.

With a resigned sigh she grabbed a rag and cleaned her hands off before turning to walk inside the house, definitely ready for a break.

Emmett and Rosalie were on the couch watching the TV, but they heard her walk in and glanced in her direction.

Emmett laughed at her appearance.

"Is there any oil left in the truck?"

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Here Bella." Esme said as she walked down the stairs and handed her a clean t-shirt.

"Thanks." She said gratefully as she took off her work shirt and pulled the fresh one on over her tank top.

"Are you hungry?" Esme asked, her maternal instincts kicking in as she noticed the brunette's somewhat tired expression.

Bella smiled.

"No, I am a little thirsty though. I was just going to go grab some water from the kitchen."

"I'll get it for you, dear. Why don't you just take a seat and cool off for a bit."

She nodded and walked over to the other couch, sitting quietly so she didn't disturb the couple next to her, and thinking through all of the possible things that might be wrong with the truck.

Esme returned moments later with two glasses.

"I noticed that we had lemonade as well and I wasn't sure which you would prefer, so I brought both."

"Lemonade sounds great actually." Bella said as Esme set it down on the end table next to her. "Thanks."

The motherly vampire smiled as she took a seat next to her.

"Anytime Bella. How is the truck doing?"

Bella grimaced.

"Not well. I installed all of the new parts, but I can't get it to start. It doesn't make sense since I made sure they would be compatible with the make and model of my truck. I gave up staring helplessly a few minutes ago."

Rosalie looked over and watched as her mother put an arm around Bella's shoulder and gently comforted and reassured her. The blonde knew that fixing the Chevy would be easy for her, but she couldn't help the hesitation. Bella wasn't one of them.

**_But she will be._**

She opened her mouth and spoke.

"Did you check the distributor cable?"

Bella looked up in surprise, obviously shocked that Rosalie was actually talking to her.

"N-no." She stuttered. "I didn't think about checking the engine wiring. But it shouldn't have been affected. I only changed out the starter and the carburetor."

"You could have bumped something in the process. I'll take a look." The blonde said, standing up and heading towards the garage.

"Th-Thank you." Bella said as she hurried after her, shaking her head in wonder as Esme simply smiled at the pair happily.

The brunette pulled her work shirt back on as Rosalie deftly pinned her hair up and propped the hood of the truck open.

She winced.

"I can't believe this thing actually runs." The blonde muttered to herself.

Bella blushed.

"It used to go almost 60 before giving me any trouble. Now its limit is closer to 50."

Rose frowned.

"A new carburetor won't help much, but a new transmission might."

Bella nodded.

"That's what John said, but transmissions aren't cheap."

The blonde rolled her eyes.

"Like dad doesn't have the money..."

Bella grimaced.

"I know he does, but I don't want him to pay for everything just because he can. It wouldn't be fair."

The blonde just shook her head as she tinkered around under the hood.

After a few minutes she walked around to the driver's seat and turned the key. The engine started up immediately with a loud roar.

Bella grinned as the blonde turned the truck back off and cleaned her hands on a nearby rag.

"What did you do?" The brunette asked, both embarrassed and impressed that the vampire had only looked at the truck briefly before easily fixing it.

Rose shrugged.

"The bolt that holds the electrical wiring was loose. No power to the starter means this truck goes no where. I tightened the bolt."

Bella groaned and smacked her palm to her forehead in annoyance.

"How did I miss that?"

Rosalie didn't offer any words of encouragement or comfort. She simply unclipped her long blonde hair and let it fall neatly to her shoulders.

"If you're determined to actually drive this…_vehicle_, you should have Carlisle buy a new transmission."

Bella nodded with a resigned sigh.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

The blonde's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms as she turned to face the brunette.

"What is your problem with getting gifts from Carlisle?"

Bella's eyes widened in alarm.

"No, it's not like that. I'm not really good at receiving presents from anyone actually." She admitted. "And I don't want anyone assuming that I'm only with him for his money. It's not like that."

Rose eyed her evenly.

"And what is it like?"

Bella sighed.

"Look, I know you don't like me, but how I feel for Carlisle is something you don't have to worry about. I love him. I've never felt like this about anyone before."

The blonde shot her a look that Bella understood immediately.

"Even Edward." The brunette said sincerely.

Rosalie's expression lost some of its icy intensity as she considered what the human had said.

"You're right," She said frostily. "I'm not your biggest fan, but not for the reason you think. I barely know you, and as my father reminded me, I can't make my judgment yet, but I do know what you could do to my family, and that is why I don't like you."

"I know," Bella said softly, surprising the blonde for the first time in the conversation. "Carlisle explained it to me, and I get it. I would probably feel the same way in your position. But the thing you don't know is that I consider your family a part of mine. I would never do anything to put any of you in danger."

Rosalie seemed to accept that, but she had a comeback.

"Not everything has to be your fault. What about what happened with the nomads a few months ago? What if it happens again and we can't stop it? What then?"

Bella opened her mouth to respond, but someone else beat her to it.

"You can't account for every possibility, Kitty." Carlisle said as he stepped into the garage slowly. "But in that particular case, we won't let it happen again because now Bella knows that trying to face the bad guy alone isn't a good idea."

Rose snickered as the brunette blushed.

"Good point, Dad." She said with a small smile. "I'm going to go make sure Emmett hasn't broken anything."

Bella turned to the blonde before she turned to leave.

"Thanks for helping with the truck."

Rosalie stopped in her tracks and caught the brunette's eye.

"You're welcome." She said slowly before she walked back into the house.

Carlisle smiled as he walked over to stand next to Bella.

She grinned.

"Will wonders never cease, huh?"

He chuckled.

"Indeed."

* * *

Cute, right? I had fun with this chapter. I hope you all liked it. i know it wasn't dramatic, nor overly fluffy, but it was necessary. i needed to sort of define the relationship betwee bella and rose. i promise that things will pick up a bit though. just give me some time. it's not a story without edward, right? anyways, i can't apologize enough for the long wait. if you would like to fly to california and kick me in shins i will completely understand. but i have to be up in about 5 or 6 hours because i got a speeding ticket to deal with. lovely.  
i love you guys!  
-Kristi


	33. Chapter 33

AN!: I literally can't believe that i went a week without updating. i mean, i've been busy with college and all since it's the end of the semester pretty soon, but honestly. a week is just ridiculous. anywho, i'll leave the more detailed comments for the AN after the chapter. go forth and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 33

"Hey Bella, are you coming this weekend?"

The brunette looked up at Jessica with a raised eyebrow.

"Where?"

"We're making a last trip down to La Push beach before it gets too cold. You can bring Dr. Cullen if you want."

Bella smiled, appreciating the sentiment despite the fact that she knew the blonde had an ulterior motive.

"I'll ask him. What time are we leaving?"

"We're carpooling from Mike's parents' store at 9."

"Alright, I'll let you know tonight if I'm going."

She nodded and then headed over to the group that was standing next to Tyler's van, probably to tell them the news.

Alice popped up next to her a moment later.

"Hey Bella!" She said happily as the brunette in question scanned the parking lot, looking for the Mercedes.

Alice laughed her light bell-like laugh as she noticed what her friend was doing.

"24 seconds Bella."

She smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks Alice."

The shorter girl just rolled her eyes.

"Don't mention it."

Just as the pixie-like vampire predicted, Carlisle pulled in moments later.

"Alice," He greeted his daughter as she hopped into the backseat. He smiled as he turned to the brunette that was getting in the front seat and leaned over to peck her on the cheek.

"Hello love. How was school?"

"Boring as usual." Alice cut in enthusiastically. "Now let's go!"

The blonde chuckled, but followed the instructions, turning out of the parking lot and heading towards the house.

Bella eyed her friend warily as Alice bounced excitedly in the backseat.

"Alice, what's going on?" Carlisle asked, noticing Bella's curiosity.

The brunette just shrugged innocently and urged her father on.

"She's way too eager." Bella murmured to the man next to her.

He reached out and laced his fingers with hers.

"Its better tat you just go along wit it. Otherwise she'll just have to drag you, and trust me when I say that that really isn't a favorable option."

The brunette in the passenger seat chuckled as she tried to picture Alice dragging Carlisle, but she was jerked out of her thoughts when the car stopped and turned off in front of the Cullen house.

"Come on guys!" Alice grinned as she tugged them along lightly.

Esme was waiting with Rose, Emmett, and Jasper at the front door. It was unusual to have a family gathering like this, so naturally Bella and Carlisle were notably confused.

Alice pranced up the stairs and into Jasper's arms on the porch.

"Hey Jazz, did you guys finish?"

He nodded.

"A few minutes before you got here, darlin'. You were right as usual."

She grinned.

"Aren't I always?"

By this time, the newest couple had made their way to the porch as well and were staring quizzically at the rest of the family.

"What's going on?" Carlisle asked curiously.

"Esme has a surprise for you two." Jasper replied, sensing their unsure emotions.

The motherly vampire probably would have blushed if she had the ability.

"It wasn't just me." She protested. "You all helped."

Emmett rolled his eyes.

"It was your idea, mom."

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Can we stop arguing and just show them?"

"No kidding," Bella agreed, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Carlisle chuckled.

"Indeed."

Esme reached out and took Bella's hand gently and led her up the stairs to a door that she had never seen before. Even Carlisle seemed bewildered.

"I'm fairly certain that this door wasn't here when I left this morning." He said wryly.

Esme rolled her eyes.

"Well spotted. This was out afternoon project."

Bella bit her lip and stepped forward before hesitating and looking back to make sure it was okay.

"Go ahead Bella." Esme said encouragingly.

Carlisle put a hand on her back and lightly nudged her forward. She reached out and grasped the door handle, turning it slowly and pushing the door open.

She stepped into a room that she'd never seen before. The walls were a deep royal blue and the floor was a dark cherry wood. The side wall had two French doors that led out onto a long balcony and looked out into the trees. Inside the room was a beautiful four poster bed in the same dark cherry wood as the floor. Everything was both vintage and modern and it encompassed pieces of both Carlisle and Bella in many ways.

Bella was shocked. There were no words to describe what her family had done. They had built a place for her and Carlisle to be together, and if she had any doubt about their acceptance of the relationship, they were gone now.

"It-it's perfect." Bella stuttered as she turned and launched herself into Esme's arms. "Thank you so much." She whispered.

The motherly vampire smiled at the brunette in her arms.

"It was nothing Bella."

The brunette released her adoptive mother to hug Alice and Jasper as Carlisle turned to his ex-wife.

"Thank you." He said sincerely as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

She smiled softly.

"It was nothing." She repeated.

He shook his head.

"On the contrary. There is no way for me to fully express my gratitude. I cannot thank you, all of you," He said, turning to everyone else. "Enough for what you've done."

Bella returned to his side and laced her fingers with his.

"He's right. This is amazing."

Alice grinned.

"And you haven't even seen the closet yet."

The pair continued to take in their new surroundings while the rest of the family simply stood and watched their reactions. Carlisle noted several doors around the room and turned to Esme.

"Surely there aren't three closets." He said with a smirk.

Esme chuckled.

"Despite Alice's protests, no, there are not three closets. That door," She said, gesturing to the one furthest away. "Goes to the bathroom, and the other connects to your office."

The blonde smiled, amazed by the amount of thought that had gone into the project.

"Whose room was this?" he asked curiously.

"Mine," Alice said cheerfully. "It's okay though. I built myself a closet in Jasper's room."

Jasper shook his head amusedly, which his wife ignored as she grabbed Bella away from Carlisle and dragged her over to the double doors that led to the closet.

With no warning, the pixie-like vampire flung the doors open excitedly and nudged Bella inside. The closet was huge and jam-packed with enough clothes to last Bella and Carlisle years even if they only wore each item once. Remarkably, Bella noticed that though all of the clothing meant for her was designer and likely ridiculously expensive, she actually liked most of the pieces.

Bella grinned at Alice.

"I love it."

Her friend turned to her sister with a smirk.

"I told you she'd like it, Rose."

Bella looked confused until Alice explained.

"I was busy, so I sent Rosalie to do the shopping. She picked all of this out."

The brunette turned to look at the blonde, who actually looked almost embarrassed to have been pointed out.

Bella smiled.

"Thanks Rosalie. I really do like it."

Rose shrugged.

"It's not a big deal."

Bella chuckled.

"I've been shopping with Alice. I consider this a vast improvement."

The blonde smirked over at Alice, who stuck her tongue out childishly.

Carlisle laughed as he watched his daughters interact with Bella, and stepped over to intervene.

"Don't worry Alice," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sure you'll manage to drag her shopping again."

Bella shot him a look.

"Don't encourage her."

Esme spoke next.

"Alright everyone. Let's leave Bella and Carlisle to their new room." She said, eyeing them sternly as they all shuffled out.

She nodded to the pair before shutting the door behind her and leaving the couple alone.

Bella walked over to the bed and hopped onto it, laying down and sighing happily.

"I love this bed. Do you think Charlie will mind if I sleep here from now on?"

Carlisle chuckled.

"Probably best not to chance it." He replied as he crossed to the other side of the bed and laid down next to her, putting an arm around her as she curled into him.

She frowned.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Damn. Well, what are you doing Saturday?"

He thought for a moment and then responded, "I have the late shift at the hospital I believe. Why do you ask?"

"A few friends have planned a last trip to the beach before it gets too cold. I've been told to extend the invitation."

Carlisle smiled.

"I'm going to assume that Mr. Newton was not the one to approve your inviting me."

Bella grinned.

"Definitely not. It was Jessica actually."

"So," He continued. "Did she give you any details to go along with this invitation?"

Bella rolled her eyes.

"We're leaving at 9am from the Newton's store and driving don to La Push beach. Happy?"

He frowned.

"Actually, no. I can't enter the reservation. None of us can."

The brunette's eyes furrowed.

"I remember Sam Uley saying that you didn't some to the reservation, but I didn't know that you weren't allowed. They really take that myth seriously, don't they?"

Carlisle nodded.

"They do take it seriously, but it's not a myth. The Quileute tribe does actually descend from wolves, or rather men who can become wolves. I believe you would know them as werewolves."

Bella's eyes widened.

"You can't be serious."

He chuckled.

"You weren't shocked to find a family of vampires, but a pack of werewolves surprises you?"

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the light blush that graced her cheeks.

"Be nice. I can only handle the existence of one mythical creature at a time."

"Evidently," He agreed. "Nonetheless, I cannot step foot past the reservation lines. It's one of the rules in the treaty that we have with the Quileutes. We promised never to come onto their land or harm any humans, and they promised to keep our true natures a secret. I'm sorry Bella. Maybe we can go up to Port Angeles and see a movie with your friends or you can drag me shopping with them."

The brunette smiled.

"Okay, I'll call Jessica and cancel."

He shook his head.

"You shouldn't bow out simply because I cannot attend. You should go have fun with your friends. I'll see you when you get back, I promise."

She frowned.

"I thought you worked the late shift."

"I can call and switch shifts." He said with a shrug.

She smiled up at him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I can't remember. Have I told you that I love you?"

He chuckled.

"Once or twice, but feel free to repeat yourself."

She laughed, but complied.

"I love you." She said sincerely, pecking his lips softly.

"I love you too, Bella." He responded. "I love you too."

She sighed happily and relaxed back into his arms.

"So," She said curiously. "Do you think Jacob is a werewolf?"

Carlisle thought for a moment.

"It's definitely possible. He is descended from Ephraim Black, is he not?"

She nodded.

"I think so."

He looked at her sadly.

"Ephraim was one of the wolves present when the original treaty was made. In fact he was the alpha wolf, the pack leader. It is very likely that Jacob is one of them or will become one very soon."

"How will I be able to tell?"

"I can't claim to know very much because my exposure to their pack is limited to very few meetings, but I believe they grow in height and musculature exponentially before and during the change into maturity. And he will also begin to tremble uncontrollable when upset or angry. Young werewolves are very dangerous, so please be careful Bella."

Bella smiled grimly.

"Danger-magnet, remember?"

Carlisle chuckled.

"How could I forget?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Cute."

He grinned.

"Likewise. But on a more serious note, you really should use caution around the boys on the reservation. They won't intend to harm you, but they don't have much control over their emotions. And I can't protect you on their land."

He looked uncomfortable and ill at ease at that prospect, which made Bella tighten her hold on him reassuringly.

"I'll be as careful as I can. I promise."

"Good," The blonde responded quietly. "For I could not live without you, and I could never live with myself if I lost you."

The brunette sighed happily.

"Neither could I, Carlisle. Neither could I."

* * *

AN Part 2!: right, so there it is. i rather liked it myself. i honestly didn't expect this chapter to happen at all. I wasn't going to put Jacob in my fic because i don't particularly car for his character, but a friend reminded me that he and bella do have an important friendship and i felt that it was worth exploring. i'm sorry for all of you that are anxiously awaiting edward's return. frankly i'm still waiting too. i wanted to have him reappear a chapter or two ago, but my pen took me down a different path. never fear though, for all paths will still lead to the same destination: drama! lol.

okay, i do have a serious non-philospohical question for you guys. i really want to know what you think about the pace of the story/the flow, the content, and the direction that it is going. i really do take all of your opinions to heart and i feel that they really help my writing and the story improve drastically. so i'd definitely appreciate an answer to this question.

anywho, thanks for reading and please review! i love you guys!  
-Kristi


	34. Chapter 34

AN!:Hey guys. This time it was a week and a day since the last update. i feel kinda bad. but in my defense i am catching a slight cold right now. i didn't go to class for two days because of it. i'm just glad that tomorrow is friday. i'm gonna go to the doctors and see if they'll give me some sort or miracle antibiotic so that i'm all set for finals week. anywho, enough about me and my crap, on with the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 34

Bella's POV

"Bella! Come on! Let's go!" Angela called from the group that was filing into Tyler's van and Mike's SUV.

I took a deep breath and hopped out of my truck to join the gang. I was insanely nervous about going to the reservation, especially because Jacob was there the last time we went. Could he really be a werewolf? The innocent, sweet kid that I'd flirted with shamelessly to get information on the Cullens? It didn't seem even remotely possible.

I smiled at Angela as I walked up to her, making sure that she would assume that I was as excited as everyone else.

"You're in Tyler's van with me and Ben." She said happily.

I suppressed a laugh at the sullen look on Mike's face at her statement and nodded at her gratefully.

Remarkably it only took minutes to get everyone in their respective cars and pull out onto the highway, but that also meant that now I had the entire ride down to think things over.

What if Jake really wasn't entirely human? Would that change anything?

I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity.

The Cullens weren't what you would call human and they were still my family. It would be hypocritical to push Jacob away for such a ridiculous reason.

But the fact remained that obviously vampires and werewolves didn't exactly get along. If Carlisle was right in his assumption then Jacob would not be happy about my being with him. Technically he wouldn't have liked it, werewolf or not. I really dug my own grave by attempting to flirt with him, and he had made his feelings for me clear when Edward left.

I sighed. Jacob was one of my best friends. I didn't want to hurt him. Loving a man who he was bred to hate would not be an easy situation to deal with though. So, werewolf who is a mortal enemy of the man I love and his family or a best friend with an innocent crush. That crush was sounding better all the time.

"Earth to Bella?"

I turned to Angela who had a bemused look on her face.

"You looked like you were a million miles away Bells."

I smiled sheepishly.

"Nah, I was just thinking."

"About Carlisle?" She said with a cheeky grin.

I laughed.

"No, not this time."

"So, where is Dr. Cullen?" Ben asked from the other side of his girlfriend. "Jessica said that she told you to invite him along."

I nodded.

"I did, but he had to work the early shift today. He said he'll make it up by coming to the next Port Angeles movie trip. He even said I could drag him shopping with us."

Ben made a face at the mention of shopping, which prompted a giggle from his girlfriend.

"See Ben? Bella's boyfriend will come shopping with us."

He rolled his eyes.

"I question his sanity. Although if Dr. Cullen goes, I'll go. It'll be more bearable if I have someone who can commiserate."

I laughed once as Angela playfully smacked him in the shoulder and then again at the fake look of pain he flashed her as he dramatically rubbed his arm.

"Wimp," She teased.

He grinned and flexed his arms comically, getting a chuckle from the both of us.

The laughing and joking continued the entire way to the beach, and while I definitely felt better in the van, that feeling vanished as soon as I stepped out onto the sand. Apparently the reservation kids had the same idea we did, because there was already a group here, and Jacob was with them. Cue the knotting and tangling of my insides, because I had no idea what I was going to say. Pulling him aside to ask, "Hey, are you a werewolf?" just doesn't seem very tactful.

Unfortunately I didn't have any time to plan out the conversation, because Jake spotted me and immediately jogged over to say hi.

"Hey Bella," He said enthusiastically.

I smiled slightly.

"Hey Jacob, you guys remember Jacob." I said as I looked over at Angela and Ben for confirmation.

Ben apparently hadn't met him before, so he put his hand out.

"Ben Cheney," He said politely.

Jake shook his hand firmly.

"Jacob Black."

"Nice to meet you. You live out here on the reservation?"

He nodded as two more Quileute kids walked over to flank him on either side.

"This is Quil and Embry," Jacob said as he pointed to each of them in turn.

The two kids smiled jovially at us and then picked Jacob up and sprinted back towards the water as he tried fruitlessly to fight them off. Once he had been unceremoniously dropped into the ocean, he was able to stand up and dry off as he tossed a few half-hearted threats over to his buddies.

I chuckled as my group headed closer to the shore, but my amusement died quickly when I did a double-take at Jake and his two friends. They were huge. I had seen him a couple times after Edward left and he had been taller then than when I'd first met him, but now he was just massive. 6 feet at least.

My stomach twisted again. All of the signs kept pointing to my friend being slightly more than human.

I bit my lip and strode over to where Jacob was still toweling himself off.

"That's a good look for you." I said with a grin.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Wanna try it out?" He asked as he glanced at the water with a smirk.

My eyes narrowed.

"Don't even think about it."

He chuckled.

"Fun sucker."

I shook my head.

'It wouldn't even be a fair fight!" I protested. "You're huge. What has Billy been feeding you?"

He shrugged noncommittally.

"Food?"

"Come on Jake, you've got to be at least 6 feet now. That's another 2 or 3 inches since the last time I saw you. 'Food' is all you have to say?"

He shrugged again.

"Growth spurt?"

I sighed. I wasn't going to get anything out of him this way. Maybe the direct question _was_ the way to go.

"Jacob, can I talk to you?"

He looked at me curiously.

"Sure."

He followed me down the beach to a less populated area. I laughed inwardly as I noticed that this was a lot like the first time I'd asked him a serious question, though I was the only one aware of how vital that question really was.

I stopped walking but I kept looking ahead, away from Jacob, as I tried to put together a few sentences that would convey what I meant to say without sounding completely brainless in the process.

Jake knew something was up though. He took a step closer to me and reached out to squeeze my shoulder.

"What's wrong Bella?"

At first I simply smiled at his concern, but then something else grabbed my attention. The hand that remained on my shoulder was warm, really warm. Warmer than it ought to have been.

"Are you sick?" I asked him curiously.

He raised an eyebrow.

"No, why?"

"Your hand is so warm. Are you sure you don't have a fever or something?"

His eyes widened slightly before he managed to school his features into a mask of nonchalance. He shrugged; trying to act like it was nothing. I knew better.

"Jacob, I'm going to ask you a question and you have to promise me that you'll answer it honestly."

He gave me an odd look but nodded slowly.

"Sure. Shoot."

I took a deep breath. This was the hard part. I had decided to do it bluntly though, and I was going to. 'Just like ripping off a band-aid' I thought with a smirk. 'Best to just do it and do it fast.'

"Bella?" Jake asked. "Everything okay?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. Well, maybe…" I amended.

"Just ask your question. It can't be that bad." He said, rolling his eyes at my hesitation.

"You'd be surprised." I muttered under my breath.

Nonetheless, I turned and faced him, eying him evenly.

"Jacob, are you a werewolf?"

His eyes widened.

"How did you know?"

This time my jaw dropped.

"So it's true?"

He nodded slowly.

"Yeah. I didn't know until a few weeks ago though, and I didn't have a clue before that. How did you figure it out? I haven't seen you in months."

At this point my mind was no longer functioning correctly and all I could do was spout facts.

"You've grown a ton in only a few months and you're ridiculously strong now too. Your skin is so hot but you aren't sick and you don't have a fever. And I remembered what you said about the Quileutes being descended from wolves."

"Bella, I told you that it was just a story."

"It wasn't."

"How did you know?"

"Because I knew that half of it was true."

His eyes narrowed.

"The bloodsuckers."

"The Cullens." I corrected him.

He rolled his eyes.

"Same thing."

I sighed, but technically he was right.

"It doesn't matter. Could you at least lose the pet name when I'm around?"

He looked at me incredulously.

"You're actually defending them after what they did to you?"

"The Cullens didn't do anything to me. Edward did."

"They all left you here Bella. Not just your vampire boyfriend."

"Edward was the one who forced them to leave. They didn't want to go. They didn't even agree with his reasoning."

"And how would you know that?"

"Carlisle, Dr. Cullen," I amended. "Came to check on me before they left. He told me the truth about what was happening.

"And you believed him? I didn't know you were that gullible." He said with a sneer.

"Stop it Jake. I'm trying to seriously talk to you and your sarcasm isn't making it any easier for either of us."

The brunette winced at my words and chose his next few more carefully.

"So what do you want to know?"

"Let's start with why you didn't tell me."

He frowned.

"I wasn't able to. Sam is the alpha. He makes the rules, and one of them was to keep our mouths shut. I wanted to tell you though." He said desperately. "Bella, you have to believe me."

I reached out and squeezed his hand.

"I believe you Jake. It's okay."

He gazed down at our joined hands and then back up at me.

"You're…okay with this? With what I am now?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Come on Jake. You're still you. You just happen to be slightly furrier sometimes."

I saw the hints of a smile make their way onto his face and exhaled in relief when I felt his hand squeeze back.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He admitted. He shifted his fingers so that they were laced with mine and then smiled at me. I wanted to pull away, but he had just broken the rules of his pack and probably taken a risk in telling me the truth about what he was. And he was a lot like Edward had been when I had first found out that he was a vampire. He needed to know how I felt, what my reaction was. He needed my approval.

I bit my lip and grinned to reassure his.

"Come on," I said, tugging his hand. "Angela is going to think you've kidnapped me or something."

"That's not a half bad idea." He said with a slow smile.

I shoved him lightly and then took off back towards the group on the beach, shouting over my shoulder, "You'll have to catch me first!". But inside I was uneasy. I would have to do something about Jacob's crush, and it needed to happen soon before I ended up losing one of my closest friends. Because losing another person that I cared about was a scenario that I prayed would never come to pass.

* * *

AN2!: Okay, there it is. Jacob is officially in the story now.  
Right, so i have to be completely honest with you guys. I hated this chapter when i finished it. I still am not completely happy with it. idk why really. but i hope you guys like it at least. that'll make up for my lack of love. lol.  
sooooooo, review because you love me/this fic and you want to make my day/week and i will get started on chapter 35!  
Hasta!  
-Kristi


	35. Chapter 35

AN!:I royally suck. like a ton. it's been about a week and a half since the last update and i'm extremely apologetic. in my defense it is finals week, so it's been a little busy around here, but i really shoulda had this typed and posted a while ago. it's my bad definitely. Anywho, extended AN at the end of the chapter. enjoy!

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Chapter 35

Carlisle's POV

"Carlisle!" Alice shouted as she bounded up the stairs and into my office. "Something is wrong!"

I closed the old medical text that I'd been flipping through gently and turned my attention to the panicking vampire in front of me.

"What's wrong Alice?"

"I don't understand it. This has never happened before. Usually I get some sort of warning, but this time there was nothing!"

"Jasper?" I called quietly, knowing my son would hear me.

The blonde entered quietly and upon noticing the distress that Alice was feeling, sent a wave of calm into the room.

Alice took a deep breath and let it out in relief.

"Thanks Jazz."

He nodded and walked over to stand next to his wife.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know." I responded honestly. "Alice?"

She looked up at me.

"Bella's future disappeared." She said, eyes wide.

My hands clenched around the edge of the desk as I tried to comprehend what that could mean.

"Is she okay?" I whispered, fearing the worst.

My daughter just shook her head.

"I don't know. This has never happened before. I always get some kind of warning if one of us is in danger. If one of us might die. That's how I told you about Bella the first time. I've never lost sight of her like this."

My mind was on overdrive, thinking about every possible scenario, trying to explain the missing sight of my daughter and hoping with all of my heart that this was just an innocent accident. But I also knew that there was a good possibility that she was with young werewolves down on the reservation, and young werewolves were volatile. They were dangerous.

I wanted to leap out of the window and run to first beach with every ounce of strength I had within me, but I also knew that in doing so I would destroy the treaty that I had with the Quileutes. My family's lives would be endangered, and so would Bella's…if she was still alive. Anguish ripped through me as I thought that last sentence, but before it took hold of me a wave of peace and calm washed it away.

This time I was less grateful. I wanted to feel my true emotions. Cloaking misery in happiness would only prevent the pain, mask it, not make it go away. But Jasper felt my annoyance as well.

"Hold on Carlisle. I'll stop, just let me say something first."

I nodded and gestured for him to continue.

"Alright," my son drawled. "Now I know both of you have been a little overwhelmed these last few minutes, but did either of you actually think to call her? I don't think Alice's visions will affect Bella's cell service."

Both I and my daughter looked at him in stunned silence and I knew it was a method that neither of us had thought to try.

Alice brought one hand to her forehead, shaking her head as Jasper chuckled and laced his fingers with her other hand.

I smiled sheepishly and pulled out my small silver cell phone, dialing her number from memory.

She picked up after 2 rings.

"Hello?"

Never had I been so happy to hear her voice.

"Bella," I breathed, letting a relieved sigh pass through my lips.

"Carlisle?" She asked. "Is everything alright?"

"It is now." I replied. "But in the future can you try not to put Alice and I in panic mode again?"

"I would, but I have no idea what I did. What happened?"

"Your future disappeared. You almost had a couple of vampires storm into the reservation looking for you."

"Disappeared?" She repeated, obviously completely confused.

I started to respond, but my cell phone was quickly stolen.

"Yes, Bella, disappeared." Alice said, obviously still very annoyed. "One minute I can see you in Tyler's van driving down to the beach, and the next thing I know all I can see is black! What happened?"

I could hear Bella's response easily from where I sat behind my desk.

"I don't know. I'm at the beach with Jacob. That's it. I promise. No plans to do anything dangerous."

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Bella, danger usually finds you, not the other way around. Has anything changed at all since you got to the beach? Something that could affect my visions?"

The answer popped into my head immediately.

"Jacob Black."

Alice looked at me and frowned.

"Bella's friend? How could he affect my sight?"

Bella apparently heard me, because she spoke next.

"He's a werewolf, Alice."

Seeing Alice surprised was a rare sight, and one I would definitely tease her about later.

Jasper spoke up.

"Why would werewolves cloud her vision?"

"They aren't clouded, they're gone." She corrected him with a huff.

I looked at my daughter intently.

"Alice, you said that you see our kind better than humans, correct?"

She nodded.

"And," I continued. "You can't see werewolves as far as we can tell?"

She nodded again.

"Well," I mused. "Perhaps you can only see things that you've been a part of. You were a human, but you remember very little and so your visions of humans are generally less concrete. You are a vampire now and you have complete memories of your time as one, so your visions are strong. You quite obviously have never been a werewolf, so it follows that you wouldn't be able to see them or their actions in your visions."

I smiled as Alice's mouth formed a small "o". I'd managed to surprise her again.

That feeling of triumph was cut off though as Bella's voice called out in the silence.

"Hello? Alice? Carlisle?"

My daughter put the phone back up to her ear.

"Bella, Carlisle is a genius."

I chuckled as she handed me the cell phone and walked out of the room.

I put the phone up to my ear.

"Bella?"

"Hey, so why exactly are you a genius?"

"I solved Alice's vision problem. It seems that your friend's new nature creates blank spots in her sight."

"Oh. Is that bad?"

"It could be. Alice won't be able to foresee any danger you might encounter while you're with the wolves, and werewolves are dangerous creatures."

"So are vampires." She countered.

I sighed.

"Yes, but Alice and I can protect you here. I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to spend a lot of time on the reservation."

"Jacob is one of the best friends I have. I can't just stop hanging out with him."

"I know, and you know that I would never want you to keep away from your friends. I can't help worrying though. I love you, and I don't want to lose you."

"I know." She replied softly. "And you know I feel the same. We'll figure something out."

"Alright. Will you come back to the house when you get back?"

"Of course. We should be back in an hour or so."

"Okay. Have fun Bella, but be careful. I love you."

"I love you too."

We said our goodbyes and I flipped my cell phone shut, shaking my head. Drama truly followed this family around like a lovesick puppy.

* * *

Bella's POV

I shoved my phone back into the pocket of my jeans with a smile, now incredibly impatient to leave the beach and head home.

With a small shake of my head, I turned around to head back to the group, and walked right into Jacob. And he did not look happy.

"Jake?" I asked tentatively. "What's up?"

"Who was that?" He whispered, his face contorting into a pained grimace.

I winced. This wasn't how I wanted him to find out about Carlisle and I.

"What did you hear?" I continued, though I was acutely aware that I was only prolonging the inevitable.

"Your heartfelt goodbye." He said with a sneer.

I sighed.

"Jake, what do you want me to tell you?"

"How about the truth?" He bit back, eyes flashing.

"That was my boyfriend Jake." I replied. I knew it was only partly true, for Carlisle was much more than merely my boyfriend. But being that truthful with Jacob could only hurt him, and that was definitely the opposite of helpful in this situation.

"Your boyfriend?" He repeated.

I nodded.

"Is this why you haven't been talking to me? Why I haven't seen you in months?" He asked, his mood darkening.

I shook my head immediately.

"No, Jacob, it wasn't like that. Or it wasn't just you at least. I didn't talk to anyone. I didn't eat. I didn't even sleep. I technically almost died."

His eyes widened slightly and then he pulled me into his strong and very warm arms.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I laughed.

"The last time I'd talked to you, you were trying to convince me to get over Edward and date you."

His expression darkened.

"Well you definitely haven't had a problem getting over your precious bloodsucker and finding someone else."

"Jake, when you asked I wasn't ready."

"And when this guy did, you were?"

"Yeah," I said slowly. "I think I was. Or at least, he helped me get ready."

"And you couldn't have let me do that? You know how I feel about you Bella, and we're perfect for each other."

I stepped out of his arms.

"In theory I agree with you Jake, but you can't choose who to love. It just happens."

His eyes caught mine as he gazed at me intensely.

"You can't tell me that you don't love me Bella. I know you do."

"You're right. I do love you Jake, but as a friend. Only as a friend."

He sighed heavily.

"Sure sure. So who's the lucky guy?"

"I don't think you've met him." I said evasively

He rolled his eyes, catching my attempt at keeping Carlisle an unknown entity. I figured Jake had dealt with enough drama for one day without adding another "bloodsucker" to the mix.

"Bella!" A voice behind me called out.

I turned and saw Angela waving me over.

"Come on Bella, we're leaving!"

Jacob snorted.

"Saved by the bell?"

I grinned.

"Of course."

He followed me over to the van where everyone was drying off and loading their stuff into the back. Since I definitely hadn't planned on swimming, I didn't have a bag with me, so I got to skip out on the loading step. I was ready to go.

Angela laughed as she caught my anxious expression.

"Impatient to get back to the boyfriend Bella?"

I grinned sheepishly.

"Maybe a little."

Jacob's stony expression dimmed my smile a little, but it couldn't diminish my excitement in the least.

Ben chuckled.

"Next time just tell Dr. Cullen to call in sick."

I rolled my eyes.

"Just for a trip to the beach? Nah. Besides, he loves his job."

"I'm pretty sure he loves you a little more than his job." Angela laughed.

I felt my cheeks turn red, but kept my chin up.

"He does, doesn't he." I agreed happily.

Angela's jaw dropped slightly and she shook her head at my audacity before shooting a wary look past me.

I followed her line of sight to the young werewolf standing behind me. Jacob had heard our conversation. Shit.

"Jake-" I started to say, but I was immediately cut off.

"Dr. Cullen?!" he spat out angrily. "He's the boyfriend?!"

I winced, but nodded slowly.

"How long have they been back?" He asked in the same angry tone of voice.

"Carlisle has been back for two weeks. The rest of the Cullens have been back for one."

"And how does dear Eddie feel about you dating his married father?"

"For starters, Carlisle is divorced." I pointed out. "And Edward doesn't know. He's been…out on his own for a while now."

"And his family hasn't told him yet?"

"No," I admitted. "We're waiting for a good time."

He just shook his head.

"Well Bella, you certainly seem to be moving through the Cullen men. How long until you move on to the strong one and the creepy one?"

My eyes narrowed.

"It's different with Carlisle. Much different. I'm in love with him."

Those last five words looked like they'd hit Jake like a ton of bricks, but he recovered quickly. His expression turned from disbelief to pure anger in seconds, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

I looked around quickly for some help and noticed the two Quileute kids who had tossed Jacob in the ocean sitting nearby.

"Quil! Embry!" I shouted.

They looked up at me and then jumped up when they caught sight of Jake, running over and leading him away into the trees.

I turned back and noted with relief that Angela and Ben had left to talk to Mike and Jessica before the end of my talk with Jacob.

With a tired sigh I looked back at the tree line that the boys had disappeared behind. Seconds later there was a loud noise followed by a long pained howl that tugged roughly at my insides. I'd hurt him again.

A voice from beside me pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Bella, we're going to head out before that wolf gets any closer. You ready?" Angela asked.

"Yeah," I replied softly. "Let's go."

* * *

AN part 2!: Okay, so my friend proofread this one and was totally sad by the end of the chapter, so she thought it was good, and i hope you all felt the same. i promise some carlisle/bella time in the next chapter, and edward will be coming back soon, so hold on tight for that.

I don't have a philosophical question, but i do have a rather random request. I've been thinking about some of the stories i've read and some of the good ones have fan art created by the fans who read it. so, since i have no artistic talent other than putting words into cool sentences, i leave it to you guys for this one. i would really love having some sort of fan art for this fic. i would totally give you the props and post the link in the story and my profile. anywho, just an errant thought i had. ttyl! (hopefully sooner than the last update was!)

-Kristi!


	36. Chapter 36

AN!:Hey guys. I'm sorry. It's been forever since the last post. I'm terrible. I know. I had finals two weeks ago and summer school started last week, so i've been busy, but i really should've had this out sooner, but i've been having trouble finding time to write. Anyway, i know it's short, but cosider it part 1 of 2. i couldn't fit the whole thing in one chapter, and i haven't actually written part 2 yet, so i wanted to get this up now. so enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 36

Carlisle heard Bella's truck turn into the long driveway and smiled, stepping out of the kitchen and walking at a human's speed out the front door just as she stopped the car and hopped out.

"Hey," He said with a smile as she leaned up to peck him softly on the lips. "How was the beach?"

She sighed and rested her head on his chest.

"Could've gone better."

He raised an eyebrow.

"How so?"

"Jacob knows about us, and he didn't find out in the way that I'd hoped. Ben let it slip. He didn't know that I hadn't told him, and Jake wasn't happy. His friends had to drag him into the woods so he didn't transform in front of everyone on the beach."

Carlisle put his arms around her reassuringly.

"It'll be okay, love. Perhaps it is better than he found out now rather than later."

"I know, but I'd planned on putting it off a little longer."

He chuckled.

"How much longer?"

"Forever?" She mumbled into his chest.

"Bella…" He said with a sigh.

She looked up at the blonde, her eyes widening slightly as she took in his diminished expression.

"Carlisle, it's not because of you. You know I love you. If there was a way to shout to the world that you're all mine I would do it." She said, grinning at the smile that was creeping back onto his lips.

"But," She continued. "Jacob is a different case. He's liked me for a while, since I first came to Forks. He's even said that he loves me. I don't want to hurt him. He's one of my best friends."

Carlisle nodded.

"I understand."

He moved an arm to the small of her back.

"Come. Better get Alice's lecture out of the way."

Bella laughed.

"Easy for you to say. You won't be the one receiving the lecture."

He simply chuckled and led her through the front door and into the living room where the family was sitting, all immersed in their separate activities.

Emmett grinned as the couple walked in.

"Better run Bella! Psychic on the warpath."

Bella ducked behind Carlisle, prompting a collective laugh from everyone but Alice, who was still definitely peeved.

"Bella, you're in so much trouble! And so is your furry friend when I catch up with him!"

Bella poked her head out to the side and raised her hand hesitantly.

"Before you start planning my demise, do I get to find out why exactly I'm in trouble?"

Carlisle nodded.

"Indeed. I'm curious as well. And Alice, stop planning Bella's demise. I'd have to step in, and you know how much I hate violence."

She rolled her eyes.

"That wouldn't be a fair fight for you, you know."

He smirked.

"I know."

Alice raised an eyebrow and made a snap decision just to see the division changes. Seconds later her eyes refocused and her jaw dropped.

She grinned at her pseudo-father.

"You've been holding out on us!"

He just shot her an innocent look and turned his attention back to Bella, who was eyeing him curiously.

"I'll tell you later." He promised.

She rolled her eyes, but turned again to face Alice.

"So, back to me being in trouble…"

Alice furrowed her eyebrows for a moment before she remembered what Bella was talking about.

"Oh, right. You are in big trouble missy! Do you really have to attract trouble and danger like the plague?"

Bella nodded.

"Yep."

Alice groaned.

"Why?"

The brunette grinned.

"I have to be better at you guys than something."

Carlisle chuckled, shaking his head fondly.

"What am I going to do with you?"

"I can still draw you that map, pops." Emmett offered with a smirk.

"Anyway," Alice continued. "In the future it'd be great if you could avoid becoming best friends withy any other dangerous non-humans that block my visions."

Bella laughed.

"I'll try."

Carlisle dropped a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"You'd better."

Bella's phone rang seconds later.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bella!"

"Hey Ang, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you and Dr. Cullen wanted to go on that shopping trip tomorrow. To Port Angeles?"

"You actually managed to talk Ben into it?"

Angela laughed.

"Not yet, but I will. So do you want to go?"

"Sure," Bella said enthusiastically. "What time should I meet you guys, and where?"

"I was thinking 10-ish at my house. Is Dr. Cullen coming?"

"I'll ask him. I'll be there for sure though."

"Awesome. I'll see you tomorrow Bella."

"Okay. Bye Ang."

"Bye."

I flipped my phone shut and looked apologetically at my adopted family for having that conversation in the middle of their living room.

Alice just smiled happily.

"So…can I come?"

* * *

Bella's POV

I grinned at Carlisle, who was wringing his hands nervously in a manner most unlike a vampire.

"Calm down," I said with a laugh. "It's only Angela and Ben."

He smiled sheepishly.

"I'm being ridiculous aren't I?"

"A little." I said amusedly.

"Especially since you're almost 400." Alice chimed in from the backseat.

Carlisle groaned.

"Thanks Alice."

I shook my head, sneaking a hand away from the steering wheel of my truck to hold one of his.

"You'll be fine. Angela and Ben like you. It's Jessica and Mike you should worry about. Luckily we managed to keep them out of the loop on this one."

He shot me a grateful look, which made me laugh again as I pulled the truck into Angela's driveway where she and Ben were waiting.

"What's so funny?" Angela asked curiously as we filed out of the car.

"Apparently Carlisle is afraid of Mike and Jessica." I said wryly.

Ben grinned.

"Don't worry, Dr. Cullen. I'm with you on that one."

"It's Carlisle." He corrected him gently. "Dr. Cullen makes me sound old."

I snorted at his unintentional joke.

He rolled his eyes at that before turning back to my two friends.

"Well, shall we?"

Ben nodded.

"I brought my car. It should have enough room for all of us, though the backseat might be a little tight." He said apologetically as he looked over at Alice. "I would have borrowed my mom's van if I'd known you were coming along."

I snorted again.

"She doesn't get to complain. She wasn't invited."

Alice just shrugged innocently and danced over to Ben's car before turning to look back at all of us.

"Are you guys coming?" She asked impatiently.

Carlisle just shook his head, to which I replied. "She's your daughter."

"Not technically." He said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes but tugged on his hand.

"Come on. The sooner we leave the faster we get there, and hopefully I won't have enough time to completely regret bringing her along." I said, throwing a smirk towards the pixie-like vampire still waiting by the car, knowing that she'd heard me.

Alice stuck her tongue out childishly and I laughed as Carlisle and I walked over to stand next to her.

"Don't worry." I smirked. "Ben drives fast."

She snorted.

"Not likely."

A couple minutes and a few snarky comments from Alice later and we were finally in the car and on the road to Port Angeles. And, thankfully, I was right about Ben's driving. He was no Cullen, but he was pretty close. Even Alice grudgingly admitted that.

Carlisle was fairly quiet on the drive down though. He sat behind Ben with an arm around my shoulders, and he seemed calm and content just as he was. Keyword being seemed.

If you know Carlisle, you know exactly what I mean. When he's nervous or worried, he gets tense. He glances around in a seemingly harmless and innocent way that most people wouldn't notice. And if the first two indicators don't tip you off, the third definitely should, because when he's nervous he tries to smile and reassure you that he is completely 100% okay not a care in the world, and he fails miserably. It's kind of cute actually, his lips stuck together in that silly half smile of his. But then again, I'm a little biased.

When we hopped out of the car in downtown Port Angeles I pulled him to my side.

"How are you doing?" I asked with a small smile.

"I'm fine, love." He replied, giving me that ridiculous smile.

I shook my head.

"Liar. You're still nervous. I can tell."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh you can, can you?"

I nodded.

"Mm hmm. The 360-something year old vampire is nervous about going shopping with a couple of humans."

"You forgot about Alice." He corrected me.

I laughed.

"She is rather frightening."

"Terrifying." He agreed. "Especially when set loose in a shopping mall."

"And here I thought you were anxious about spending the afternoon with Angela and Ben. How silly of me."

He chuckled.

"Indeed." He said, dropping a peck on my lips. "Very silly."

He leaned in to claim another kiss, and he would have succeeded if Alice hadn't danced over and stolen me away seconds earlier.

"Come on guys!" She exclaimed. "Time to shop!"

I glared at her in annoyance, but that annoyance quickly gave way to resignation.

I sighed.

"Why me?"

* * *

AN! (part 2): Alrighty. it was short. i know. i fail in very epic proportions.

Oh, before i forget. This story has been nominated! For the Best Non-Canon Pairing at http : // the-cullen-clan-awards . synthasite . com / (You know the drill. Just take out the spaces. Leave the dashes though.)  
So the voting goes until June 1st, so please please PLEASE go vote for this fic. I will love you forever. in a creepy stalkerish way. :D

On that note, i have no idea who nominated me/this fic, but it's freakin awesome. i was completely blown away when i got the notification. i never expected this story to be so well liked. ugh,. you guys are the best readers an author could ask for.

Guess what guys! I finally have another philosophical question!  
Philosophical question #? (What number are we on again?):  
Okay, so there's a person. this person doesn't cry easily. this person maybe sheds a few tears when reading a sad story or watching something sad on tv. so what happens is this person reads a very sad story on this site. and the story involves character death. ut's not the best written story this person has ever read, yet when they finally finish the last chapter, said person breaks down into uncontrollable sobs. it takes 15-20 minutes to calm down again. they haven't cried to such a degree in many many years, and they don't even know why they were crying so hard that night. So, the question is, why were they crying, and why was it so intense?  
Have fun with that one!

Anywho, I love you guys! Please Review! Please Vote! I'll start writing 37! Hasta!  
-Kristi


	37. Chapter 37

AN!: I suck. I am the worst author on this site. i'm horrible. yeah, i'm really beating myself up about how long it's been since i updated. it's been at least a month and i never meant for it to take this long, but a lot of things came up. I got kicked out of college for my grades, then it was my birthday and there was all that rukus. now the kitchen is being remodeled, and my mom took my laptop away. and since im not in school i don't have as much time to write. it's just been one problem after another really, and add writers block to that and you end up with a severely late update. i really can't apologize enough. But, let me just get this chapter up pronto and you guys can catch me again at the end of the chapter. i hope you like it.

* * *

Chapter 37

"I hate you." Bella grumbled as Alice led her to the dressing room, the 8th of the day, with a whole new armful of clothing.

The pixie-like vampire just smiled and shoved her through the door easily as Angela giggled from behind her.

"Come one Bella, it's no big deal. Besides, you have to admit that Alice is good."

"Traitor!" Bella shouted from inside the little room as she sifted through the pile of clothes sitting in front of her.

Alice just laughed.

"Don't worry Bella, I have a feeling that you'll find a winner this time."

"And if I do will you promise to redirect this torture on someone else? Angela seems to enjoy it."

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I promise." She sighed dramatically. "My gift is wasted on the unenlightened. Do you actually know the names of any high end designers?"

Angela snorted.

"This is Bella we're talking about. She wouldn't know Chanel if it tackled her and she wore it to school."

Alice's eyes brightened.

"Finally! Someone who appreciates the fine art of fashion. Ang, I think you're my new prodigy."

"Hey!" Bella exclaimed from inside the dressing room. "Alice, stop stealing my friend! Angela, stop letting her!"

The girls just giggled as they separated into their own dressing rooms and began sifting through their own piles.

The men however, sat outside patiently, unaware of the battle going on not more than 30 feet from them. Well, Ben was honestly unaware. Carlisle on the other hand was expertly faking his ignorance as he hid his amusement at Bella's obvious annoyance.

Ben shook his head as he caught the doctor's eye.

"You sure are lucky."

Carlisle raised an eyebrow.

"How so?"

"Because your girlfriend isn't a shopaholic like mine." He said with a grin. "This has got to be rare for you."

Carlisle chuckled.

"You seem to have forgotten that Alice is my daughter. I believe that makes us fairly even."

Ben rolled his eyes.

"How could I forget? I've changed my mind. You're screwed man."

The blonde smiled and nodded in agreement before standing as Bella snuck out of the dressing room to where he and Ben were sitting.

"Having fun love?" the doctor asked with a knowing smirk.

She glared at him halfheartedly.

"What happened to rescuing me from your daughter?"

Carlisle shrugged innocently.

"It slipped my mind?"

She snorted.

"Yeah. Right."

Ben grinned.

"Alice did promise that this was the last clothing store. The quicker you finish with the enormous pile she has for you, the sooner we can get out of here."

Bella stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Easy for you to say. You can sit out here and complain with your partner in crime. I on the other hand have no one to commiserate with, as Alice has already managed to turn Angela to the dark side."

Carlisle looked at me in amusement.

"The dark side Bella?"

The brunette nodded.

"Your daughter is evil. Haven't you noticed?"

"Only when she's within 5 miles of a clothing store." He replied as Alice herself stepped out of the dressing room to glare at her adoptive father.

"Thanks dad." She said with a roll of her eyes as she grabbed the brunette and started shoving her back around the corner, much to Bella's displeasure.

Ben shook his head.

"The Cullen house must be a lively place, huh?"

Carlisle chuckled.

"You have no idea."

* * *

Half an hour later and the group found themselves walking down the main road towards a local bookstore where Bella was planning on picking up a new copy of Wuthering Heights as hers had finally bitten the dust.

They never made it.

Alice stopped in midstep, her eyes unfocusing as she stared into the distance.

Carlisle was the first to notice and reacted quickly as he nudged Bella forward to keep Angela and Ben distracted while he waited for Alice to snap out of it.

"Alice?" He whispered quietly. "What do you see?"

She blinked and then looked up at him.

"Nothing. I can't see anything at all."

He frowned.

"The tribe?"

She shrugged.

"I can't be sure, but it would make sense. You'd better tell Bella. It could be Jacob."

Carlisle nodded and he and Alice trotted forward to catch up with the trio. At a glance from her father, Alice hooked an arm around Angela and Ben's shoulder and strode ahead with them as Carlisle reached out and drew Bella to his side.

She looked at him in confusion, aware of Alice's distraction.

"What's going on?"

"The future disappeared again."

"Oh," She said, catching his implication. "You think some of the La Push kids are here?"

He nodded.

"Considering the fact that it could very well be Jacob I figured that you would appreciate knowing, especially as I am here and he did not react well to the news of our relationship."

Bella smiled and laced her fingers with his.

"Thank you. I love you, just so you know."

He grinned.

"I do, but I shall never tire of hearing it. Shall we?" He asked, gesturing to the trio that was easily outpacing them,.

The brunette nodded and continued to let her hand rest in his as they pulled up alongside the rest of the group.

Alice looked over at her with a smirk.

"So Bella, I hear the sight of blood makes you faint."

Bella glared at Angela and Ben.

"Traitors. I didn't faint! And it's not seeing blood that I don't like, it's the smell."

Alice raised an eyebrow.

"Blood doesn't have a smell."

Bella wrinkled her nose.

"Yes it does, or at least it does to me."

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Where is this bookstore of yours Bella?"

The brunette looked around, furrowing her eyebrows.

"It should be right around the-" She stopped in her tracks. "Corner."

Not 50 feet in front of her, Jacob Black stepped out of a store onto the sidewalk, headed in their direction. There was no time to try and hide whether they wanted to or not, for the senses of a werewolf are almost as strong as those of a vampire, and Jacob had picked up their scent in seconds.

Angela followed Bella's line of sight before grimacing.

She looked at Jacob and then back at Bella.

"Unless you guys need the backup, it might be better if Ben and I make ourselves scarce." She said, knowing that the conversation probably would not be a peaceful one.

Alice nodded.

"Good idea. I'll go with you guys. We can go wait in the bookstore. I need another copy of Hamlet. Mine seems to have mysteriously disappeared and naturally, Jasper is denying everything."

The couple that remained cracked a small smile at her statement. Bella, because she knew exactly what had befallen the poor book, having seen Jasper chuck it at Emmett (after one of his less tasteful jokes) and it splitting into several irreparable pieces. Carlisle let the corners of his lips curve upwards because he know that though Alice wanted to be there for the dialogue with Jacob, she chose to retreat with Ben and Angela so that she could continue to watch the futures of the two humans as well as the rest of the family.

The smiles were short lived though, as the young werewolf strode towards them with nothing short of rage adorning his features.

"Bella," Carlisle said quietly. "If it looks like the situation is disintegrating rapidly and heading towards violence, promise me that you'll go find Alice and the rest of the group and get home as quickly as you can, okay?"

"No way. I'm not the one who needs protecting. Jacob would never hurt me. There's no way I'm leaving you alone with him." Bella said adamantly.

Carlisle frowned.

"Young werewolves aren't safe. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I know," She replied gently. "But you don't have to worry about me. Besides, what if I leave you two alone and he attacks you. He's bigger than you, and he's stronger than your average human."

"So am I." The blonde said with a smirk.

"I know, but I'd rather not find out who's stronger. I can't lose you Carlisle. I wouldn't make it this time."

His expression softened and he would have pulled her into his arms but for the werewolf that was closing in and would not have appreciated the sight.

Bella, in an attempt to diffuse the situation, spoke first.

"Hey Jake, what brings you to Port Angeles?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He spat. "You couldn't keep your sordid affair behind closed doors?"

Bella sighed.

"We didn't know you'd be here. You don't usually leave the reservation and there was no reason to suggest otherwise today. Why are you here anyways?"

"What, I can't leave home for a few hours? The pack doesn't have me on a leash. I am no common mutt. I was born to be what I am. Unlike some." He finished spitefully, eyeing Carlisle.

The blonde, who had remained silent for the most part, spoke evenly.

"I do not disagree with you. However, I have never wanted to be what I am. It might please you to know that when I first learned what I had become I rebelled against it, trying every method of suicide that I had knowledge of. I envy you your birthright. You were meant to inherit your gift, to become what you are, a protector of your people. My abilities were thrust upon me, due to circumstances that I could not control, and I was turned into a monster feared by humankind."

Bella's eyes latched onto his sharply.

"You're not a monster Carlisle. You are as much a protector as Jacob is, perhaps even more. You spend your time saving lives while some simply intend to cling to ancient prejudices and sling insults."

Her last few words were directed towards the young werewolf and his eyes narrowed as he responded.

"Have you ever asked why he saves lives now Bella? He's probably trying to make up for all of the people he's sucked dry."

The brunette's eyes flashed dangerously.

"You should do your homework before you make accusations like that one, because then you would have known that Carlisle has never tasted even a drop of human blood."

Jacob blinked, surprised, but dove right back in.

"That doesn't make him any less dangerous! He could kill you easily. He could crush you by just squeezing too hard. He's too dangerous for you!"

The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"And you aren't?"

Jacob growled.

"I would never hurt her!" He hissed.

"I know," Carlisle responded. "For I feel the same way. But you also know that your shape shifting is controlled by your emotions. One slip and you could kill her just as easily."

Jacob's expression faltered as he contemplated the doctor's words, knowing them to be true, but not wanting to accept defeat.

Bella rolled her eyes as she knew he was trying to come up with a good retort.

"Alright, we've established exactly how apparently fragile I am compared to you supernatural freaks of nature, and it's obvious that neither of you would intentionally hurt me, so can we please get over it and move on?"

She looked first at Carlisle, who smiled softly in agreement, and then at Jacob, who was scowling but nodded anyway.

"Good," She said happily. "Now it's obvious that you guys won't become friends anytime soon, but can you at least try to get along?"

Jacob opened his mouth to object but Bella cut him off, eyeing him evenly.

"If I were you I'd think before I spoke, because if you say no then you can be sure that you won't be seeing me down on the reservation again."

He paled considerably before agreeing to her terms as Carlisle nodded his acceptance as well.

The brunette grinned.

"Good."

She opened her mouth to continue speaking but stopped as she noticed Alice running towards them.

"What's wrong Alice?" Carlisle asked, noticing the fear in her eyes.

"It's Edward," She whispered. "He's coming home."

* * *

AN2!: Hey guys, so i guess my explanation was in the beginning and i dont need to repeat it, but i'd like to repeat the apology. gosh i feel bad.  
On the bright side, you guys are finally getting your drama! edward is very nearly back! i hope this next section will meet your expectations when i write it and get it posted. i hope i can get it up sooner than i did this one.  
I have a philosophical question to make up for it!  
question #?: (i don't remember what number we're on. lol.)  
Okay, so, what do you guys think about joining the army (or whatever military your home country has)

Hasta!  
-Kristi


	38. Chapter 38

AN!: Another long wait. Again, i suck. Explanation in the post-chapter author'snote. enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 38

Finding Angela and Ben was easy, as they'd waited in the bookstore when Alice ran out to talk to Carlisle and Bella. After vaguely explaining what happened with Jacob and faking a phone call from home, they were on the way to the car while Bella told Angela and Ben about Edward's surprise homecoming. Luckily they understood and didn't mind leaving early or letting Carlisle drive, a fact that annoyed Alice greatly which amused everyone else to no end. But as far as Angela and Ben were concerned, we still made it back in record time.

It was on the way back to the Cullen house that Bella began feeling the first tendrils of fear creep into her mind.

"Alice?" She said quietly. "Will he be there when we get home?"

"I don't know." The brunette answered honestly. "All I saw was Edward at the house today. I didn't get an exact time, and before I could try to get one your friend decided to tag along and black everything out."

"What does your gut tell you?" Carlisle asked, his voice betraying no emotion but his hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.

His daughter took a deep breath before responding.

"I think he's already there."

Bella let out a shuddering sigh in the backseat.

"Do we have to go?" She asked, hopelessly dabbing her eyes with her sleeve as they began to water.

Carlisle's expression softened.

"I'm afraid too Bella, but this is something that we knew would happen eventually. Running would only make things worse."

"I know. I know." Bella muttered. "It just sounds like such a good idea right now."

Carlisle cracked a smile.

"I know what you mean, but everything will be alright. Trust me. Trust what we have."

Bella's lips curved upward slightly.

"You know I do. I just don't want to hurt him."

"Neither do I love, but I'm afraid it's inevitable. I've never heard of any man reacting well to the news that his father is in love with his ex-girlfriend." Carlisle said with a sigh.

Bella frowned.

"What about ex-girlfriends who never really loved them. I think that might be a little worse to hear."

Alice turned around in her seat. "We need to talk about that, Bella."

"About what?"

"The whole you never loving Edward idea. It's not true and you know it."

Bella opened her mouth to argue, but Alice cut her off.

"I'm married to a vampire who can tell what everyone is feeling at any given moment, Bella. You're not going to win this one. Betting against Jasper is about as intelligent as betting against me." She finished with a wink.

Bella rolled her eyes but didn't respond, letting the information sink in.

She had been so sure that Edward had been simply a fascination; that she had fallen in love with his world and not him. It sent a jolt through her system when she realized that the relationship she'd had with Edward had been real. But did that really change anything?

She looked helplessly at Alice.

"What does that mean?" Bella whispered.

Alice reached out and squeezed her hand lightly.

"It doesn't mean anything. You may have loved him, but he disregarded any feelings between the two of you when he left and forced us to follow. Not only did my darling brother charmingly throw your love in the dirt, he and his huge ego decided that he knew what was best for everyone. You're way better off now."

Carlisle smiled at his daughter.

"Thanks kiddo."

Alice shrugged.

"Just being honest. I saw Bella's future with Edward and I've seen the one you two have together and you're both better off this way. Heck, everyone is."

"Even Edward?" Bella asked timidly.

"That's up to him." Alice replied. "He could end up happier, but it still depends on his decisions. The future can always change.

Bella nodded and took a deep breath as Carlisle parked his Mercedes in front of the house.

She steeled herself and opened the door.

"Time to face the music."

* * *

AN2!: Okay, time for the long awaited explanation...  
I was out of town for two weeks on vacation, which explains some of the wait but not all of it, because to be honest if i'd had a chapter ready i could have typed it on my lappy and posted it immediately afterwards.  
The actual issue with this chapter and the reason it's so immensly and sadly short is because the next section is the real meeting with Edward. I know you guys are all excited to read it and i'm sure you have expectations about how it will turn out and i really want it to reach my usual stardards as well as surpass your hopes for it. So, the stress from that, while maneagable and not a huge deal, is giving me the worst possible writer's block on the next section. i won't settle for anything less than perfect, so it's pretty slow going.  
I wanted to get this piece up so you know i haven't abandoned the story (seriously. stop messaging me asking that everytime a chapter is delayed. i plan on finishing this fic and that's that.) and i still love you guys. I hope you can bear with me while i try and get the climax of this sucker out on paper.  
Thanks for reading and putting up with me. :)

-Kristi (The author WMEN)


	39. Chapter 39

AN!: hey guys. I know this has been another long wait and i;m sorry about that. I wanted this chapter to be as good as i could get it and in addition to that, things have been super crazy lately. I haven't been able to wrangle a moment for myself with a handy dandy computer to type on. But the wait is over and i'll shut up and leave my comments for the end of the chapter. enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 39

Carlisle's hand slid from the small of Bella's back to her shoulder as they stepped through the front door to the Cullen house, following Alice into the living room where everyone had assembled to greet the member of the family that had been missing for so long.

Even without Jasper's gift, Bella and Carlisle could sense exactly how tense the atmosphere of the room was, and they both began feeling a very real tendril of fear. Though being afraid was very uncomfortable, it was less of a problem for Bella and her shielded mind. She could tremble inside and out and still be safe, but the fear emanating from Carlisle was not similarly protected, and immediately caught Edward's attention.

He turned slowly for a vampire, giving everyone ample time to forget about trying to block his gift as their true thoughts floated to the surface.

A growing smirk transformed his features from calm to cold as he opened his mouth and spoke.

"So, why is the entire family suddenly so concerned about your wellbeing, Carlisle? Is there something I should know?"

His voice was like liquid honey and it was every bit as intoxicating as Bella remembered. She shut her eyes tightly, wincing and holding her stomach as though she'd taken a blow to the abdomen. Carlisle had bandaged the hole Edward left behind but the wound was still raw, and seeing the man who broke her heart threatened to rip Bella apart all over again.

While keeping his thoughts focused elsewhere, Carlisle squeezed Bella's shoulder reassuringly and spoke.

"Edward, if you're convinced that I'm hiding something, I don't think anything could stop you from finding out."

"Then why are you reciting the 1st edition of Gray's Anatomy in your mind?" he demanded. "And why is Alice singing "I'm a Barbie Girl" in Japanese?"

The petite brunette grinned.

"Catchy, isn't it?"

Edward ignored her remark and continued to stare evenly at his father.

"What are you hiding _dad_? If it's the fact that you disobeyed my order to stay away from Bella, then you should stop fighting me, because her presence is a dead giveaway."

Carlisle smiled humorlessly.

"It does seem a little obvious, doesn't it? We could have done a much better job if you'd called ahead. She would have made a very lovely lamp post."

Emmett snickered before being silenced with a single look from Bella.

Edward's eyes had narrowed to slits now.

"What are you hiding Carlisle? Why will you not answer me!"

The doctor remained calm as he replied.

"I stay silent for the wellbeing of others, not for myself."

Edward sneered.

"The wellbeing of others? Do these others include Bella? I left so that she could have a clean break from all of us, Carlisle. I even allowed you to say goodbye at your request and you still couldn't set aside your own self-serving feelings. You had to come back. You couldn't just let her move on with a life free from danger, free from us."

A deep voice laughed from behind where Bella and Carlisle were standing, drawing everyone's attention, as Jacob Black walked in and stood at Bella's other side.

Edward's tirade had distracted everyone, including himself, just long enough for the werewolf to sneak in unnoticed.

"So, did I miss the party?"

"Trust me, it's no party." Bella muttered, reaching out to hold Jake's hand.

He squeezed gently before looking back up at Edward, whose nose had caught the werewolf scent.

His eyes narrowed in disgust.

"A true descendant of Ephraim Black."

"Damn straight." Jacob replied. "So don't try anything, bloodsucker."

Edward smirked as he listened to the thoughts of the boy in front of him.

"You think I'm going to hurt Bella? Now why would I do that?" He asked, turning and eying the brunette in question.

Bella sighed.

"Carlisle, just tell him. I can't handle this dragging out any longer."

The blonde looked at the young woman beside him.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"I'm sure. Show him the truth."

Carlisle returned his gaze to his son and took a deep breath before choosing a memory and letting his mind relive it once again.

* * *

_He led her over to the bench and they both sat down facing the sunset._

_When Bella didn't make any attempt to speak, Carlisle did it for her._

_"So…did you want to talk first, or shall I?"_

_Bella winced, but she spoke slowly._

_"No. I need to say my piece before I lose the ability to speak at all."_

_She sighed, wondering where to begin._

_Where else but the beginning?_

_His golden gaze was locked on her as she began to speak._

_"When Edward left, I didn't think I would ever be okay again. H-he broke me into pieces. He had been my life, and he had said that I was his, but he still left me. He said that he couldn't live without me, but when I truly needed him to be there for me, he wasn't."_

_She looked up at Carlisle with a smile._

_"You were. You were there when I thought that I wouldn't be able to function again let alone smile or laugh, and if I remember correctly you managed to get both out of me before you left that night."_

_Carlisle__ grinned as she continued._

_"It sounds ridiculous, but your jacket helped me sleep for a month after you left. And then when it wasn't your jacket it was your e-mails. And now it's you in person. You gave me my life again. You gave me hope again. You helped me get over Edward. I can't thank you enough."_

_"You don't need to thank me Bella."_

_"Shush," She said, cutting him off. "I'm not done yet."_

_He chuckled, but conceded, gesturing for her to continue._

_"Anyway," She said, giving him a playful glare. "You really did save me, and in the process you've become a really good friend. Probably the best friend I have."_

_Carlisle's still heart plummeted at her words, but he didn't let his emotions make their way to his face._

_Bella started speaking quickly as she fought to get the most important part of her speech out before her throat closed completely._

_"It's just…I sort of ended up with a problem. I didn't mean to. It just kind of happened. You've always been so nice to me, and I never wanted to take advantage of that, but I couldn't help it."_

_Carlisle__ grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently._

_"Calm down Bella. What are you saying?"_

_She closed her eyed tightly and took a deep breath before looking at him with tears in her eyes._

_"I…I fell in love with you. I'm sorry. I never meant to. I'll understand if you never want to speak to me again, and-"_

_She never got to finish her sentence. In one rapid move, Carlisle pulled her lips to his, effectively stunning her into silence._

_When Bella realized what was happening, she let her self fall into the kiss, melting into his arms completely as they tightened around her._

_She had only experienced one other first kiss, with Edward, and this one obliterated that one to completely that she wondered how she had even thought herself in love with him. With Edward there had been fireworks, but with Carlisle it was the 4th of July. There was a fire spreading through her veins and it had nothing to do with venom._

_When he finally pulled away, she stared at him, her lips still parted._

_"I…" She stuttered. "Really?"_

_He chuckled._

_"Bella, I came back for you. My world revolves around you. How could you not know that I love you?"_

_She shook her head in wonder._

_"I don't know? I guess I just expected to be shot down."_

_"And why exactly did you think I would be crazy enough to reject you?"_

_"Have you looked in a mirror lately?"_

_He smiled._

_"Have you?"_

_She rolled here eyes and sighed happily as she leaned forward to rest in his arms again._

_"Angela was right."_

_"About what?"_

_"I am lucky." She said with a grin._

_Carlisle__ laughed._

_"You might want to hold that thought."_

_She raised an eyebrow._

_"Why?"_

_"Because we're going to have to tell Charlie." He said with a smirk._

_She groaned._

_"Great. He's going to kill me. He was convinced that Edward was too old for me. How much older are you?"_

_"About 257 years."_

_"Okay. I'll rephrase. How much older does Charlie think you are?"_

_"12 years."_

_Bella ran her fingers through her hair with a resigned smile._

_"Well, my mom is 9 years older than Phil, so she can't say anything, but Charlie is probably going to disapprove. Still want me?"_

_He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips._

_"Always."_

_She smiled._

_A sudden breeze blew past them, causing Bella to shiver suddenly._

_"Cold?" Carlisle asked, concerned._

_She nodded._

_"A little."_

_"We'd better get you home then. Charlie definitely won't be happy with me if you end up with hypothermia."_

_Bella grinned._

_"That probably wouldn't be a good start for you since you are trying to get his approval."_

_He chuckled._

_"No. Not at all."_

_He stood and held out his hand_

_"Are you ready for the climb back down?"_

_She eyed the edge of the cliff warily._

_"Not really."_

_He laughed._

_"Don't worry Bella. I'll never let you fall."_

_She smiled and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek._

_"Okay, go before I change my mind."_

_He nodded, slinging her across his back._

_"Hold on tight."_

_He took two bounding leaps towards the edge before leaping forward off of the cliff. He flew through the air gracefully, landing lightly on a low tree branch and swinging down to the ground. It took easily half as long to get back to the car, and Bella was surprised to find out that they were back already._

_"Do I want to know how we got here so fast?"_

_He smiled._

_"Definitely not."_

* * *

Bella watched nervously as Edward's expression gained more and more fury. She reached out and laced her fingers with Carlisle's, needing to feel his presence, his support. He shot a questioning glance at her but she just shrugged, telling him in a look that nothing she did could make things much worse.

The family watched Edward closely, waiting less than patiently but quietly for his reaction.

They didn't have to wait long.

He spoke slowly and softly, his voice containing thinly-veiled anger.

"What have you done?"

No one responded.

Edward continued.

"I told you to leave. I told _all_ of you to leave Forks and to leave Bella alone to live a normal life."

There was a brief pause and then before Bella could blink Edward had thrown Carlisle against the wall and had a hand at his throat.

"What have you done to her?" He growled, baring his teeth as he glared at the man he'd once thought of as a father.

Things remained tense as Edward refused to release his grip, but Jacob Black stepped forward and eyed the vampire evenly.

"Back off bloodsucker," he hissed, placing himself between the two.

Edward laughed coldly.

"A werewolf is taking the side of a vampire?"

Jacob snorted.

"As if. I'm not on his side, I'm on Bella's."

The vampire snorted this time.

"I'm not going to hurt Bella."

The Quileute raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah? Because I can hear her sniffling from across the room, how about you?"

Edward kept holding Carlisle against the wall but glanced behind him to ascertain the amount of truth in the werewolf's words.

He realized that while he had been threatening the man in front of him, he had forgotten about the living reason behind the threats.

When Carlisle had been thrust against the wall, Esme stepped forward and pulled Bella into her arms as the younger girl started crying softly.

When he noticed the tears that ran down Bella's cheeks, Edward released Carlisle and spun around.

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, but it was short lived as he wrenched Bella roughly out of his mother's arms.

"I'm doing this for you, Bella. To protect you. Stop crying and accept that!"

The brunette wiped her tears away roughly.

"Protect me form what, Edward?" She demanded.

"From danger! From our kind and the death that follows us. You almost died three separate times while we lived in Forks."

"And you and your family saved me each of those times. Besides, I can assure you that I was much closer to death when you ordered your "kind" to leave me here alone. I would be dead now if Carlisle hadn't come back and saved me from myself."

At the sound of his creator's name, Edward's fists tightened, snapping Bella's wrist without even trying, and causing her to cry out in pain.

Jacob snarled and stepped forward, but Carlisle was faster.

In an instant he had gently pulled Bella out of Edward's grasp, allowing Esme to cradle her protectively once more, and had thrown his son to the floor. With his knee on the boy's chest and a hand holding his arms back, Carlisle leaned forward and spoke in a tone of voice colder than any he had ever used before.

"You will not hurt her again."

Edward's eyes narrowed as he struggled to break free.

"Are you accusing me of having hurt her before?"

"I don't have to accuse you." The blonde hissed. "I have proof."

He dug through his mind, pulling out specific memories, showing Edward exactly what he had done to Bella.

* * *

_The blonde looked down at the young woman in his arms. When he had come here he'd had no idea what to expect._

_He'd assumed she'd be distraught, maybe even angry, but she was neither. When he'd climbed through her window, she hadn't even moved to see who it was. She was breathing, but displayed no other signs of life. Her lips were blue. Her skin was as light as his, as pale as death itself._

_He was prepared to drive her to the hospital, consequences be damned, but she finally spoke, though even her voice betrayed little emotion. It took all he had not to pull her tired body into his arms._

_It seemed Edward was killing her faster than anything else could have._

* * *

_I turned on the mac and waited impatiently for the e-mail browser to load. When it finally did I found exactly what I was looking for, 1 new e-mail from Chief Swan._

_I opened it immediately, taking in ever single word._

_"Carlisle,_

_It's bad. It wasn't good to begin with, but I expected it to get better. Instead, it's gotten worse. She hardly eats. She barely sleeps. And if she does sleep, she wakes up screaming her head off. I don't know what to do. I wanted to send her to Jacksonville with Renee, but she refused to go._

_When I try to talk to her she insists that she's fine. She says she's just focusing on school, which I suppose is legitimate. She has a 4.0 now. And she got a job at Dowling's. I suspect that she can navigate an oil change better than half the town at this rate. That's all she does though; school and work. And she also never takes off that jacket of yours that you left behind. She clings to it. Almost bit my head off when I tried to wash it. My guess is that it's all she has left of you guys._

_She's getting worse by the day, and I can't help her. If there s anything you can do to help I'd appreciate it if you did it as soon as you can, because I don't know how safe it is for her to get any worse. I just got my daughter back Carlisle, I can't lose her again._

_-Charlie"_

_I shut my eyes tightly, running a hand through my hair._

_Damnit. This is worse that I imagined._

* * *

_Dr-Cullen: Why are you so insistent upon dismantling the wardrobe that Alice painstakingly put together for me?_

_Danger-Magnet: Because I'm the bad guy?_

_Dr-Cullen: Bella…A real answer please?_

_Danger-Magnet: Promise not to laugh?_

_Dr-Cullen: Of course._

_Danger-Magnet: Okay. The thing is, your jacket…it smelled like you. And it helped me sleep for a while, but now it just smells like me and I can't sleep anymore._

_Dr-Cullen: Bella, why didn't you say something sooner?_

_Danger-Magnet: Yeah, I can see that happening. "Hey Charlie, can you talk to Carlisle for me?" "Sure. Why?" "Because apparently I can't sleep without the scent of my ex-boyfriend's pseudo-dad." That would go over really well…_

_Dr-Cullen: Okay, I see how telling Charlie wouldn't work, but you could have told me._

_Danger-Magnet: I didn't want to disrupt your family. I'm the reason you moved, after all._

_Dr-Cullen: Edward is the reason we left, not you Bella. And I doubt the family could get any more strained than it is now._

_Danger-Magnet: What do you mean? What's going on?_

_Dr-Cullen: I don't want to worry you. You have enough on your plate already._

_Danger-Magnet: Carlisle. Please? I'm pretty stubborn you know…_

_Dr-Cullen: Yes, I had heard. Alright. Edward stayed with the family long enough to greet Tanya and her coven before leaving. Last time I heard from him, he was somewhere in South America. It's put a strain in my marriage. Esme and I don't talk. We don't even "sleep" in the same room anymore. Alice knows from her visions. Jasper knows because he can sense what we're feeling. Emmett and Rosalie may not know yet, but I'm not sure. Suffice to say, we're having a few problems right now._

_Danger-Magnet: Carlisle…I'm so sorry. How are you doing?_

_Dr-Cullen: I'm fine, Bella. Don't worry about me. I'm more worried about you. I e-mailed Charlie._

_Danger-Magnet: What did he tell you?_

_Dr-Cullen: He said you weren't sleeping, and if you did manage to fall asleep you would wake up screaming. He said that you've thrown yourself into school and work. He said that you're getting worse by the day. Bella, he thinks he's going to lose you._

_Danger-Magnet: I never wanted him to worry._

_Dr-Cullen: He may seem like he doesn't pay attention, but he loves you Bella._

_Danger-Magnet: I know. I know. It seems like we're both in bad situations._

_Dr-Cullen: I'll be okay Bella, but if you don't start sleeping your health will deteriorate. Charlie isn't the only one who doesn't want to lose you._

_Danger-Magnet: I know, and I'll try, but I can't promise anything._

_Dr-Cullen: I suppose that'll have to be good enough for now. I'll see what I can do about fulfilling the terms of our hostage situation._

_Danger-Magnet: Okay. Well, I have a ton of calculus homework. I'm really glad we were able to talk though. I've missed you._

_Dr-Cullen: And I you. We'll talk again soon._

_Danger-Magnet: I'll hold you to that, and I'll try to sleep tonight. I promise._

_Dr-Cullen: Thank you. Goodnight Bella. Sleep tight._

_Danger-Magnet: Goodnight Carlisle._

* * *

_Carlisle__ winced as he read Charlie's latest e-mail._

_"Carlisle,_

_She's worse than ever. She doesn't sleep. She doesn't eat. Her grades are slipping. She's so skinny. She doesn't even look alive most days. Whatever life used to be in her eyes is gone now. And the worst part is that nothing I or anyone else says does anything. I need your help._

_-Charlie_

_He had meant to e-mail Bella soon, but Edward had been so cryptic. Carlisle had been trying to protect what little communication there was between Bella and himself, and in doing so he'd let her condition worsen._

_He couldn't say anything though. What if Edward came home? He would know instantly, and he wouldn't be able to speak to Bella again. And in addition he surmised that Edward would likely not speak to him for a long time as well._

_He closed his eyes and put his head in his hands._

_"I don't know what to do," He whispered sadly._

_"You need to go to Forks." A voice said from in front of him._

_He looked up to see Alice staring back at him._

_"Alice, you know I can't."_

_"All I know is that if you continue down this path, Bella will die."_

_The last few words had been choked out._

_His eyes widened._

_"You can't be certain."_

_"You know my visions are subjective, but this one was so clear. Whether you e-mail her or not, she will die. Her strength is already waning."_

* * *

_I pulled in quietly at Dowling's garage, hoping I wouldn't have to talk to John unless Bella was nowhere to be found. As I stepped out of the car I took a deep breath and immediately caught her scent. I followed it around the corner where I found her old Chevy truck parked with the driver's side door open. Curiously I walked around the truck, but stopped quickly. Bella was lying on the ground, not moving and barely breathing. I focused my breathing and sighed in relief as I picked up the faint beating of her heart._

_I was at her side in an instant, cradling her still form. She was never this light before. Charlie was right. She hadn't been eating. As I moved one of my hands to hold her head up, I felt something moist. I knew what it was before I saw it._

_Blood._

_Calming down enough to think clearly and rationally, I tried to piece together what happened, but all I knew for certain was that she had fallen and hit her head._

_Disregarding both her car and mine, I picked her up and started running. I was at my house in minutes, laying her down on the one piece of furniture that we'd left behind: the bed in the suite I had shared with Esme. We'd both agreed that it was just too big to bother moving, and it turned out to be very useful here. I opened the closet and pulled out one of my old medical bags. It didn't have the most modern tools, but it would do._

_Bella still hadn't stirred._

_I quickly looked her over to make sure there weren't any other injuries, and it was then that I noticed what she was wearing: my old jacket, and she looked better in it than I ever did. Getting back to the matter at hand, I turned her gently on her side, frowning when I felt how much her hipbone jutted out. Tilting her head, I parted her hair carefully, inspecting the gash. Luckily she wouldn't need stitches this time, but I would still need to clean and bandage it to make sure she wouldn't end up with an infection._

_I worked quickly, even for me, and I was done in a matter of minutes. Absently I wished I had a banana bag to give her, but I'd never had the need for one in a house full of vampires._

* * *

_Thank God she's alive. He thought to himself._

* * *

Slowly Edward stopped struggling, but Carlisle's grip didn't loosed. He kept his gaze locked on the boy beneath his, bombarding his mind with the same images over and over again in his fierce need to protect Bella. What the doctor didn't anticipate was that as he showed his son memories of what the boy had done, he began to re-experience the emotions attached to those memories. His anger increased exponentially and he bared his teeth, eying Edward's throat.

He leaned forward, but a small warm hand held him back. His anger melted away as he lost himself in chocolate brown eyes.

"I'm right here, Carlisle." Bella said softly. "You can let him go."

The blonde nodded in understanding and released the vampire beneath him, allowing Bella to pull him up with her good arm before wrapper his own around her.

"I'm sorry Bella. I lot myself in memories for a moment."

She smiled.

"I know. It's okay. All that matters is that you didn't lose who you are."

Carlisle placed a gentle kiss in her lips.

"I seem to have forgotten, have I mentioned that I am utterly and completely in love with you?"

Bella grinned.

"Once or twice, but it bears repeating."

Carlisle chuckled.

"Good, because I'll never stop repeating it."

Emmett couldn't help himself.

"Aww. You guys are so cheesy." He joked.

Bella rolled her eyes as Carlisle looked over to his eldest daughter.

"Kitty, could you do me a favor?"

She grinned.

"Gladly."

She reached over and smacked her husband upside the head soundly.

"Hey!" he yelped. "No fair!"

Bella laughed.

"Thanks Rosalie."

The blonde just smiled, a satisfied look on her face as the rest of the couples' antics.

Edward stood slowly, observing the new dynamics of his family and listening intently to all of the minds he could reach.

He had always kept tabs on his family this way, but he had never heard anything like the thoughts that were radiating from the vampires in front of him.

Not once since the family had been complete with the newest additions of Alice and Jasper had every single member been completely happy at the same time. Not even Rosalie, the least likely to be content considering the circumstances (and also the constant pain in his ass), was even the slightest bit upset. Edward focused his thoughts on hers, searching for a crack in what he was sure was a façade but he found nothing short of acceptance and growing respect towards the beating heart in the room.

Gradually the attention in the room returned to him and he stood up slowly.

He decided to address the biggest problem.

"Can someone explain how this happened?"

Carlisle opened his mouth to speak, but Bella put a hand on his arm and shook her head.

"I think he should hear it from me."

The blonde smiled and nodded.

"You're probably right."

She grinned.

"I'm always right. Let's move this to the couch though. The silly human can't stand as long as you big strong vampire, and this is a long story."

* * *

AN Part 2!: Alright. And there it is. The epic confrontation. It was super hard to write this because i was trying to figure out what i felt that everyone would and should be feeling in a situation like this. And then i kept getting writers block because i just couldn't write in a way that felt right to me. But i think i did alright all things considered, and i hope you guys liked it.  
Leave me some reviews and tell me (preferable in epic detail) what you thought about it and what could have been better, ect. I would really appreciate your feedback.  
Other than that, i have the next chapter finished and i hope to have it out in the next week or two.  
Thanks for sticking with me guys. I love you all. :)

-Kristi (The author who is very apologetic for taking so damn long on this chapter)


	40. Chapter 40

AN!: Hey guys. sorry about another long absence. i've had this chapter done for a couple weeks, but college has kept me extremely busy, and so have constantly broken computers. so with absolutely no more ado, here's ch 40.

* * *

Chapter 40

Once everyone was situated (except Edward, who remained standing stiffly some distance away) Bella began to speak.

"I guess this all started when you left, Edward. I don't remember much to be honest. I knew that I had been running through the woods after you, and I remember falling down and just laying there in the rain, but I don't know how long I was there or who found me. I think Dr. Gerandy looked me over, but I didn't hear his diagnosis and I'm not really sure how I must have looked."

Bella looked over at Carlisle for help.

He sighed.

"You didn't look good, Bella. Your breathing was shallow, extremely shallow. Your lips were blue and your skin was so pale and cold. You could have been mistaken for one of us if not for your faint heartbeat. I wanted to drive you to Forks General and admit you myself."

Esme, who had a look of motherly concern on her face, asked, "Why didn't you?"

"She spoke." Carlisle replied. "And for a second there was life in her eyes. Besides, judging from what I remember of when we first met, she's not a big fan of hospitals."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't the hospital, it was the entire Forks High junior class in the waiting room. If I'd stayed any longer I never would've gotten them off my case. That whole 'shiny new toy' effect was driving me crazy."

"I thought we were the shiny ones." Emmett joked.

Bella wrinkled her nose.

"You guys are more sparkly than shiny."

"Sparkly? Can't you think of a more manly word?" He argued.

"Nope," She replied. "Anyway, now that we've established that I looked like hell I can keep going."

She returned her attention to Edward.

"You're probably aware that Carlisle stayed for a little while before Charlie got back from the station. I asked him to stay. I needed him to stay because he was the closest thing I had to you. In your place he helped me sleep, but he couldn't stay forever. He left with all of you, but luckily he left me a hostage."

Carlisle chuckled.

"And I still haven't gotten it back."

Bella grinned.

"Nope, but I'm sure you'll survive."

She turned back to Edward.

"He left his jacket on a chair in my room and I started wearing it and using it to help me sleep. It…smelled like him, and it helped for a while, but the scent couldn't last forever, and when it stopped working I stopped sleeping. And when I stopped sleeping, I stopped eating. It wasn't a conscious decision, but I couldn't control it either, and I got worse."

She looked to Carlisle for the next part of the story, which he supplied handily.

"It was around that time that I received a very worried e-mail from Chief Swan. I'd sent one to him first, inquiring after her condition, but his response was several times worse than I'd expected. And though I mean no offense to Charlie, he isn't the most observant of people so his concern doubled mine. Alice had left me Bella's e-mail on that day as well, so I broke the rules and I sent her an e-mail. At this point I had hoped that I could help her regain her health, and in keeping her alive you might understand why I broke the rule."

Edward nodded and then looked back at Bella, who started again.

"It helped. I don't know why, but it helped. Over the course of several e-mails and instant messages I got a little better. I could sleep and eat a little more. Charlie stopped shooting me a worried look every time he saw me. But it was short lived."

Alice jumped in.

"I saw you coming to meet up with us in Alaska, so I warned Carlisle and he stopped talking to Bella because we both figured you'd get upset. Course the lack of communication didn't help Bella at all."

"She's right." Carlisle said. "I got another e-mail from Charlie maybe a month later telling me that she was worse than ever. I wasn't sure what to do since Alice still saw you coming to Alaska, but she had also seen that if I didn't get to Forks as soon as quickly as I could, Bella would die. And that was something that I could not allow or endure."

He paused for a moment and looked over at Esme.

"By that time your mother and I had grown apart and decided that it was better for us to simply remain family, but nothing more."

His ex-wife smiled and nodded in agreement before adding, "Edward, you probably knew that your father and I weren't as close as we had once been, and when we left Forks and you left the family things only deteriorated further. I know that you believed that you were doing the right thing, but you forgot that the family ended up losing Bella as well. It hurt us all Edward. Nothing was as it should have been, but we were doing our best. Though even if we'd still been okay as a family, your father and I still would have separated, so don't think that what happened between us is at all your fault."

"It's true." Carlisle agreed. "Nothing could have stopped it from happening. There was just no love between us any longer. And I could not hurt Esme by deceiving her when I had begun falling for another."

He looked over and exchanged a smile with Bella before shifting his gaze to the floor.

"Edward, you have to know that I didn't plan for this to occur. It just did. I won't apologize or be sorry that it happened but I can't help but feel that I've betrayed you in some way, that I've betrayed my son."

Bella reached over and cupped his cheek with her uninjured hand. She didn't smile, partly because it would not help him and partly because she knew how he felt, and in some small way she felt the same. So instead of a smile, she sent him a look of solemn understanding.

He reached up and covered the hand on his cheek with one of his own. He smiled softly in thanks before sighing and continuing with the story.

"I left to Forks without delay, driving rather recklessly in my haste, hoping to reach Bella before it was too late. It was close, closer than I led anyone to believe. In all honesty, if I had been approximately 6 hours later she would have been hypothermic and her body would have been too weak to fight off any of the infections that would have followed. She had passed out outside Dowling's garage and hit her head on a rock. There was a slight concussion and she had a laceration on the back of her head that was bleeding evenly and needed taken care of by someone with medical training. I would've taken her to Forks General, but as I said before, she isn't a fan of hospitals and I would have had to explain my presence to the staff, which was something I lacked the time and patience for. I took her home to treat her, which was easier than I feared it might be. The cut didn't require stitches, just gauze and a bandage, but she was still severely dehydrated and malnourished."

He paused, taking a calming breath as he fought the emotions that were associated with the memories. He looked up to speak again and a small amount of warmth took hold of his still heart as he noticed that Esme had moved to put her arms around Bella, half for herself and half for the human that had found a place in all of their hearts.

He continued.

"I watched her carefully as she slept, monitoring her breathing and heartbeat closely considering the concussion. I called Chief Swan and let him know what had happened. He wasn't completely comfortable with Bella staying alone with me in an empty house, but I think that his respect for my medical abilities and his gratitude for my taking care of her overruled his worry. Other than that I simply waited for her to wake."

Bella took over from her current position in her adoptive mother's arms.

"I'm not sure how long I was asleep, but I remember waking up. I was confused, half because I had actually been asleep for the first time in a while, and half because I had no idea where I was. I had never been in that part of the house before." She admitted with a small embarrassed smile at Esme.

"I tried to sit up and that's when Carlisle finally decided to speak. My shock lasted about 10 seconds before I threw my arms around him. Not one of my smartest moves. You guys are kind of like big rocks."

There was a collective chuckle before Bella continued.

"I was surprised to see him, but my excitement overruled that. I didn't expect to see any of you again and it was a little overwhelming, but it felt _right_. So, Carlisle nursed me back to health over the weekend and we had fun just hanging out and getting closer. I was eating again, which isn't surprising considering his cooking, but the sleeping still gave me trouble. I just couldn't sleep without him there. I still have trouble actually. But anyway, I went back to school on Monday and things started looking up again. And then I said something stupid, or at least I thought it was stupid. I was half asleep and I told him that we needed to talk about what we meant to each other. I meant it, but I didn't really mean to say it. I was almost positive that he didn't return my feelings. He had mentioned that he and Esme were getting a divorce, but they had been together so long and it had just happened so recently that I didn't know if he was ready to fall for someone else, let alone if that someone would be me."

"She's not the only one who was worried." Carlisle interjected. "I had the same concerns. I knew that she had had her heart broken and still hadn't fully recovered from it. She was getting better, but there were pieces that were still broken and had yet to heal. She needed peace and calm in her life, and since I'd met her that had been hard for her to come by. I had doubts about how she would react to my feelings. Luckily those doubts turned out to be baseless."

Bella smiled.

"As baseless as my own. And once the truth was out, Carlisle had one more thing to do, and that was to tell his family."

The blonde nodded.

"I felt that you all should know the truth. Both about the divorce and about Bella. I told your mother first."

Esme still had her arms around Bella when she chose to speak her piece.

"When Carlisle told me what had happened I was surprised to say the least, but I had known him for the better part of a century and I could see the truth in his eyes. He was happy. I couldn't be angry at him for finding love. Especially with Bella, who I already loved as a member of my family."

The human in the room smiled and leaned her head back against Esme's shoulder affectionately.

Alice jumped in.

"Jazz and I already knew and were happy for the two of them, but Carlisle had to tell the rest of us the truth as well, and he did on his second day home."

"After we thrashed the Denali's at baseball." Emmett added smugly.

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, Jazz and I didn't have a problem with it."

"And neither did I." Emmett agreed.

All eyes turned to Rosalie, who shook her head in exasperation, but gave the opinion that was obviously being asked of her.

"I didn't take the news well at first."

"Understatement." Emmett coughed.

She glared at him before continuing.

"It's no secret that I never liked Bella before, but it was more due to the fear that associating with her and letting her be aware of what we are would end up exposing us, even if it was by accident. Dad convinced me to give her a chance though. I won't say that she's one of my favorite people as of now, but dad loves her and she makes him happy, so I accept her as a part of this family."

Carlisle smiled at his daughter.

"Thanks Kitty."

He turned back to Edward.

"It was Rose's idea to come back home. She wanted the opportunity to make an informed opinion about Bella, and that just gave everyone else the opportunity to tag along, so we all came home. We've only been home a little while actually, maybe two weeks. And then you came back. So now we've gone full circle."

All eyes were on Edward now as the family waited for him to react. There was no more they could do. They had laid out all the facts, and it was up to him now.

* * *

Sorry for the partial cliffhanger. I'm gonna type the next chapter when i get home (I'm at work) and try to have it up asap.

Hope you guys still love me despite my sketchy chapter updating. :D

Hasta.

-K


	41. Chapter 41

AN!: Hey guys. I can feel better about myself now cause this chap only took me a week to get typed and posted. I'm improving, i swear! :D  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 41

Edward let his amber eyes rest on Bella and he watched as she shuddered under his tortured gaze. He still was unable to read her thoughts, but he was sure that a piece of her still loved him and wanted to be with him.

"Bella, I still love you. I left to protect you." He said in a pleading tone, almost begging her to come back to him.

Bella looked at him sadly.

"Edward, some part of me will always love you, but I'm not in love with you anymore, and I never will be again. I know you were trying to do the right thing but you hurt me, and even though I've forgiven you I can't forget what happened. And I'll also never forget what Carlisle did for me. I am in love with him, Edward. This is so much more than just a fling."

Anguish and anger spread across his features as he took in Bella's statement. Seconds later he was gone and the front door swung shut behind him.

Carlisle stood up to follow him, but Alice shook her head.

"He'll be back. He just needs time."

The blonde sighed and ran a hand through his hair before turning his gaze back to Bella.

"We'd better get that wrist taken care of. Hospital?"

She wrinkled her nose.

"Nope. Home."

Carlisle smiled, knowing that she wasn't referring to Charlie's house.

"As you wish."

He picked her up gently from Esme's arms and headed upstairs to his office where he had an x-ray machine and most of his medical equipment waiting.

Alice and Jasper left to go hunt, and Rosalie and Emmett headed to their room upstairs to do God knows what, leaving Esme on the couch and Jacob standing rather awkwardly by the door.

He wasn't really sure how to go about saying goodbye to a vampire, but before he could give it a valiant attempt, his stomach grumbled. Loudly.

Esme smiled at him.

"Hungry?"

"Starving." He admitted sheepishly. "I haven't eaten since this morning."

The motherly vampire hesitated and then asked, "Can I cook for you?"

Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Can vampires cook?"

Esme grinned.

"Not only can I cook, but I also have a pilot's license, several college degrees, and a black belt in 3 different types of karate."

The werewolf's jaw dropped.

"This is so not fair."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked back in polite confusion.

"I don't understand."

He smiled wryly.

"I think my dream girl is a vampire."

Esme laughed as she stood and started walking towards the kitchen.

"Come on. Let's see how much I remember from the culinary arts school I went to a decade ago."

Jacob trailed behind her and raised an eyebrow.

"A decade, huh? So how old are you really?"

Esme stopped before the door that led to the kitchen and smiled.

"Don't you know that it's impolite to ask a woman for her age?"

Jacob stepped forward and held the door open for her.

"Haven't you heard? We werewolves are never polite."

Esme laughed softly and stepped forward into the kitchen.

"How could I forget?"

* * *

Edward was running. He wasn't running away, but he needed to be alone to think. If he stayed in the house others would be watching, and he couldn't be sure that Jasper wouldn't manipulate his emotions even in attempt to be helpful.

He wasn't paying much mind to where his feet were taking him, but soon familiar smells and sights caught his attention.

Inadvertently, or perhaps subconsciously, he'd run straight to the meadow.

He wasn't sure if he should be amused or annoyed, but he decided it would do and he remained motionless in the dead center of the clearing and began to think about all that had transpired and all that he had learned.

He had to remain distant, far from his emotions. It was the only way he could try to figure this out without losing himself in the process.

He had left Bella to keep her safe and it had almost destroyed him to do so. He wanted to return to her every minute of every day that he was away from her, and it was only his quest to find Victoria that helped him to remain strong. Well, that and the constant reminder of the danger that his world would put Bella in if she stayed a part of it.

He still felt that he had done the right thing in regards to making his family leave Forks, but he never should have left them for so long. Because of him his parents had decided to split up, which allowed Carlisle to go down to Forks and fall for the human he loved.

And now, with his family permanently in Washington and no way for him to keep them from Bella or vice-versa, he wanted her back. He wanted to fight for her, but he knew he had no hope of success.

He smirked slightly as he realized that he now sympathized with the werewolf. The smirk disappeared when he remembered that the child in question never had a chance with Bella. When she made a decision she stood by it, and in this case she had decided to let him go and move on with his father.

Edward sank to his knees.

He had been alive for decades without really living, until he found Bella. She had awakened his heart and his soul, or at least whatever was left of them. But now she was Carlisle's. His reason for living was no longer his.

Thoughts floated through his mind; plans, scenarios, decisions. Images of Volterra had just begun to dominate his subconscious when he heard two sets of footsteps emerge from the trees.

"Alice, Jasper." He greeted them evenly. His little sister strode up to him and fixed him with a hard stare.

"Don't even think about it Edward. You are _not_ going to the Volturi."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Why not? What is keeping me here? Without Bella I have no purpose."

"How about family?" Jasper asked quietly.

Edward frowned.

"I care about my family, but I no longer see my place in it."

"You have always known your place." Alice argued. "You're a son and a brother. You keep us honest and every once in a while you annoy the hell out of us by telling us what we don't want to hear. You are Carlisle and Esme's first son. And other than Jazz, you're my best friend. You have a place Edward, and you'd better now vacate it.

"She's right, Edward." Jasper said, moving to stand beside his wife.

Their brother looked up at them, a broken expression on his face.

"But-without Bella-"

"You will survive." Alice said softly. "In fact, you might even be better off. It's up to you and the decisions you make. But I can tell you that even though it hurts, Bella will ultimately be happier with Carlisle. They were meant to be together. You picked up on it in everyone's thoughts, I've seen it, and Jazz has felt it. You can't change fate, Edward. But you _can_ move on and find your own destiny. You'll be happier because of it. But if you hold on to the pain and the grief, you will never get that chance."

The couple watched as their brother took everything in, letting him process the new thoughts running through his head.

Moments later he stood. He looked resigned.

"I can't change fate. You were right about that, Alice. If Bella will be happier with Carlisle then I cannot interfere. But I'll need time before I can come back to the family."

"And you won't go to Volterra?" Alice asked suspiciously.

Edward shook his head.

"No. I give you my word."

The pixie frowned, but her husband spoke before she had the chance.

"He's being honest, Alice. I can feel it."

His wife huffed.

"Okay, but you'd better call at least once a week and check in or I'll have to track you down, and then I'll drag you shopping for a month."

Edward smiled slightly.

"Don't worry. I'll call."

He hugged his sister and shook Jasper's hand.

"Tell everyone goodbye for me. And tell them I'll be back."

"We will," Jasper nodded. "Take care, Edward."

"See you around, brother." Alice added, grinning at him as he turned and began running.

He didn't know where he was headed, but somehow despite the pain, he had a feeling that one day everything would be okay.

* * *

AN Part 2: This chap was a shortie. Sorry about that, but it sort of fit perfectly at this length. So, this is the last real chapter. The next one will be the epilogue i think. I already have it written and i should get it out sunday hopefully.

Let's have one more philosophical question for old times sake :D  
Got this one from a friend. Question: So, you're in love with your best friend. And your best friend is engaged to a guy with neanderthal eyebrows. And he stutters. And you know she feels comfortable with you and trusts you and loves talking and hanging out with you. There is a connection between you that is much deeper than simple friendship. And she acknowledges that and agrees. But she's engaged. And hasn't told many people or her parents. So what on earth does all that mean?

I love you guys! and your reviews!

Peace!  
-Kristi


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Life from that point on wasn't without its usual hurdles, but it was considerably less dramatic.

Carlisle and Bella continued to get closer as their bond grew stronger, and eventually the small town of Forks accepted them as a couple.

Charlie and Carlisle got along well, and he could clearly see that the doctor treated his daughter better than even he could. He was never prouder than when Bella told him that she'd gotten into the pre-med program at Johns Hopkins University.

Bella and Alice graduated on a cloudy day in June and all of the Cullens and Swans were there, cheering loudly. Renee finally met Carlisle and after the initial shock at his dazzling good looks, he turned on the charm and had her immediate approval.

That night at dinner, Carlisle knelt down on one knee and proposed to Bella in front of the entire family. She tackled him with a hug and a kiss in her enthusiastic response.

Bella smiled at the memory and looked down at the ring on her finger. She detested gaudy over-the-top jewelry, and Carlisle had known that. The ring he'd given her was simple, but gorgeous, and she never took it off.

She felt a hand intertwine with hers and looked at Carlisle with a content smile.

"I love you." He said simply.

She grinned.

"I love you more."

"Let's not start that again." He chuckled. "Are you excited about Hopkins?"

"More nervous than excited right now. I'm not sure I'm Johns Hopkins-caliber. I could've just gone to a state school you know. You wouldn't have had to donate such a large library."

Carlisle laughed.

"That might be true, but I only want the best for you and as far as pre-med goes, Hopkins is the best. I'm sure you'll do fine, love."

Bella rolled her eyes halfheartedly.

"If you say so."

He grinned.

"I do."

She turned her gaze out the rounded airplane window with a small sigh. The entire Cullen family was on its way to live with Bella as she went through college. Even Jacob would be visiting from time to time, whenever he could get away. He seemed to have accepted the Cullens, her family, as something more than just bloodsuckers. And she hoped that he would accept her when the time came for her to join them.

Initially with Edward she had wanted to be turned immediately, as soon as possible, but that had more to do with how they were as a couple. She always felt like she was going to lose him and that becoming like him would solve that problem. But with Carlisle things were different. She knew that he would never leave her and that she was free to live as a human for as long as she wished.

They'd decided to have the wedding after she finished her sophomore year at Hopkins, and Alice was already begging to be the planner. Some of the Cullens were surprised that the couple would remain engaged for so long, but neither Bella nor Carlisle were in a rush to marry. They were content to simply be together, and they were willing to wait to tie the knot.

They had also talked about when Bella wanted to be changed, and thought the time was not set in stone and could easily be changed, Bella seemed set on it happening after her college graduation. Carlisle tried to convince her to wait until after medical school, but she was very adamant that she didn't want to be any older than he was when he'd been turned. According to Bella, she'd never be able to live down the fact that she would be older than one of the oldest vampires in the world.

She glanced back at the other Cullen couples behind her and smiled when she caught Esme's eye, but she was reminded again that part of the family was still missing in action. Edward's absence was still painful, and she hated herself for hurting him.

The only thing that helped was Alice's continual reassurances that he would come back one day. Well, that and the constant flow of love and affection that she received from the whole family and especially from Carlisle.

He was the perfect man, her own personal angel. They had only been together a few months and she already knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that she wanted to spend eternity with him, and that he would never leave her side.

The plane jolted below her as it touched down and minutes later the pilots had parked it next to the terminal and the passengers had been given the okay to stand up and begin heading into the airport.

Carlisle was standing next to her with her carry-on in town. He held out his free hand and smiled.

"Ready love?"

Bella grinned and laced her fingers with him.

"More than you know."

* * *

The Last AN!: Wow. That's it. That is all she wrote. I actually can't believe that it's over. i've spent just over a year on this fic. it's my baby. i'm a little proud that i finished it and managed to get the whole thing posted.

I want to let all of you readers and reviewers know that i am eternally greatful for all of your support and kind words over the last 42 chapters. You guys kept me going and i couldn't have finished it without you.

I may do a sequel, but at this point i'm really not sure. I need a little time off and i'm working on a few other things. I might also post a companion one shot. there's an idea that's been bouncing around in my head, but i'll have to flesh it out a little more first.

Anyway, i'll keep you all posted on my future projects and i hope to hear from you guys again in that future. e-mail me if you want or PM me. i love talking to all of you. :)

So, I will bid you a final farewell.  
I love you guys.  
Peace.  
-Kristi (The Author WMEN)


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